BUT JESUS DID NOT ENTRUST HIMSELF TO THEM
JOHN 2:23-25

―Faith that Does Not Save―

The nature of saving faith;
HEBREWS 11:1
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:7
7 …for we walk by faith, not by sight.

The origin of saving faith;
EPHESIANS 2:8–9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

MATTHEW 16:17
17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

ROMANS 10:17
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Two categories of ‘faith’ in the Gospel of John, distinguished by the reaction to Jesus’ teaching;
JOHN 6:63–71
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” 66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

―The Purpose of Signs―

Signs can validate existing saving faith;
JOHN 1:50
50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

Signs can strengthen existing saving faith;
JOHN 11:22–27
22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

JOHN 20:30–31
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Signs can be an invitation to saving faith;
JOHN 10:38
38 “…but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

―The Danger of a Faith Based in Signs―

The unbelief of Jesus’ brothers is the same as the belief of the sign-believers;
JOHN 7:3–5
3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him.

Without conversion, signs can result in hate, not love;
JOHN 10:32
32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?”

Faith based in signs will lead to destruction;
MATTHEW 24:24
24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

2 THESSALONIANS 2:9–10
9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:4
4 The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ…

―The Terror of the God Who Knows You―

PSALM 139:1–4
1 O LORD, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.

JEREMIAH 23:24
24 Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.

PSALM 33:13–15
13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; 14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, 15 he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.

HEBREWS 4:12–13
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

JOB 34:21
21 “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.

In Christ, there is a Person from whom even the smallest and most insignificant secret is utterly impossible.

―The Comfort of the God Who Knows You―

Christ uses His knowledge of all mankind to orchestrate His substitutionary death;
JOHN 6:70–71
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

In Christ, there is an Advocate who knows us better than we know ourselves;
ROMANS 7:15–25
15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate…17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me…For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing… but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!...

Christ’s complete knowledge of His sheep brings eternal and unsurpassed comfort and assurance;
JOHN 16:30
30 “Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.”

JOHN 21:17
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

ROMANS 5:8
8 …but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

In Christ, there is a Person possessing of complete knowledge of His people, who simultaneously covenants eternal and everlasting love for His people.

11/2/2025