Teach Me: Understanding Unbelief & Living for God's Glory

THE PASSAGE 

John 12:35-50, ESV  

35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

³⁶ While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light. When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.

³⁷ Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,

³⁸ so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

³⁹ Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

⁴¹ Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.

⁴² Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it so that they would not be put out of the synagogue;

⁴³ for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

⁴⁴ And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me.

⁴⁵ And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.

⁴⁶ I have come into the world as light so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

⁴⁷ If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.

⁴⁸ The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

⁴⁹ For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.

⁵⁰ And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

THE CAUSE   

• Unbelief is caused by our sinful nature.    

John 3:19, Romans 3:23,  Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:12, Romans 1:18  

• Unbelief can be caused by God’s judgment.  

John 12:36-40, Isaiah 6:10, Exodus 4:21, Romans 9:18   

THE CONSEQUENCES  

• Unbelief will face the consequences of God’s judgment. 

John 12:46-48, John 3:16, John 3:36, John 8:24  

THE CHANGE  

• God’s grace intervenes and changes unbelievers into believers 

John 3, John 6:44, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 2:11, Acts 16:14, Ezekiel 36:26  

THE CHOICE  

• Believe in Jesus and live for God’s Glory.  

John 12:35-36, Isaiah 55:6, Hebrews 3:15, Luke 12:40  

THE CALL  

• Pray for an open door, heart, and mouth.  

I Corinthians 16:9, Revelation 3:20, Acts 16:14, Psalm 51:15, Acts 8:35