One of people's greatest desires is that someone truly knows them and then still love them. Of course this also brings with it fear. Why? Because when someone truly knows us we become emotionally vulnerable. We open ourselves up to rejection. What if I open up completely to someone and they don't love me?
The One Who Knows Us Completely
The truth is we often don't even truly know ourselves. We have blind spots when it comes to admitting our shortcomings and flaws. We see ourselves as better than we really are. There is One who does know us—completely, flaws and all, and does still love us. When we are known by Jesus, we are trusting the One who knows our hearts. This One loves us so much that He was willing to die for us before we even knew Him (Romans 5:8).
Fear Is Not of God: Overcoming to Serve Him
God says He calls you by name, "You are mine!" and commands you not to fear (Isaiah 43:1). 2 Timothy 1:7 declares plainly that fear is not of God. Fear separates us from God's will. The Bible gives us many examples of people who were afraid to follow God's will. Moses (Exodus 3:11), Gideon (Judges 6), and Peter (Matthew 26: 69-75). Each of them overcame that fear with God's help and did mighty things for Him. We can't let fear keep us from approaching and knowing God or from allowing Him to know us.
Superficial Belief: Jesus Knows Our Hearts
John 2: 23-25 tells us something about Jesus that is both encouraging and also somewhat troubling. John tells us that many people believed in Jesus because of the miracles He performed. But then John says in verse 24, "But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men," and in the next verse John says this happened because "He knew what was in man." If these people believed in Him then what was the problem?
Their belief, according to many Bible scholars, was based not on a true understanding of His mission on earth, not in a heart changing transformative way, but merely on the hopes that He was the promised Messiah, the conquering King whom they had awaited for centuries.
This Messiah would throw off the Roman rulers and restore Israel's greatness. They had no understanding that what Jesus came to do was change their hearts. Jesus wanted them to transform, to become more like Him.
Why Jesus Didn’t Trust Their Belief
Jesus certainly performed miracles to show that He was the Messiah. These miracles were evidence of who He was. The people in this passage believed in Him because of His signs, but what was wrong with their belief? Why wouldn't He "commit Himself to them"?
The word commit here is often translated 'trust'. Jesus knew that many of these same people who professed belief would turn on Him and ultimately call for His death. Jesus did not trust their belief because He knew their hearts.
Emotional Responses vs. True Commitment
Their belief may have been more in the excitement of the moment. Perhaps they got caught up in the emotional reaction the crowds had to this Man who cured sickness and cast out demons.
Coming to Jesus most definitely can be an emotional experience, but often emotional worship services are not really about commitment to Jesus as much as they are about wanting to be part of an "experience". It is common to feel emotional when you turn your life over to God, but He requires more—transformation and commitment.
Known by Jesus: Trusting the One Who Knows Your Heart
John explains to us that Jesus "knew all men". The desire of our hearts, to be known completely, was fulfilled in Jesus. He knows the good, the bad, the darkest secrets, the real us.
He knows the parts of us that we try to keep hidden even from ourselves. He knew the truth about these men. Their belief did not lead to denying themselves and taking up their cross to follow Him (Matthew 16:34). Their belief would not last. If our belief is genuine our hearts will be changed.
Immediately following this passage in chapter 3 is the story of Nicodemus. Nicodemus acknowledges that no one could do the signs that Jesus did without God being with him. Jesus then explains to Nicodemus that unless a person is born again they can not see the kingdom of God. Later, Jesus tells Nicodemus that, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Not to condemn the world but to save it, Jesus says, is the reason He came.
False Works and True Relationship
Jesus knew that one of His very own disciples, whom He called to follow Him, would betray Him (John 13:21–30). In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus discusses people who prophesy, cast out demons and perform miracles in His name but He will tell them He never knew them.
There was no true relationship with these people. He calls them "evil doers." Why? Because they did not do His Father's will. These people never really knew Him. Maybe they did these works to gain fame. Maybe it was to impress God with their holiness. Almost certainly it was done without love.
The Danger of False Signs
We can't just believe in signs. Even the antichrist, the lawless one, will come with "all power, signs and lying wonders". He will come with "unrighteous deception". The ones he deceives are the people who "did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved" (2 Thessalonians 2: 9-10). We can discern evil from good by praying for wisdom and studying the Word. The stronger our relationship with Jesus, the better we will be able to distinguish false signs. Have you received the "love of the truth"?
True Relationship with Christ: Family of God
In Mark 3:34-35, Jesus says that the people who do His Father's will belong to the family of God. They are His brothers and sisters, they are His mother. These people have true relationship with Christ. But Isaiah 29:13 describes the people that John says weren't trusted by Jesus. In this verse, God says people honor Him with their lips, but their hearts are far away. To really follow Christ faithfully we need to examine our heart. We need to acknowledge our unworthiness before Christ's holiness. We need to seek His forgiveness.
Conviction vs. Condemnation: A Path to Growth
Being known like Christ knows us makes us sometimes think, "But Lord, I am so bad, how can you love me? How can you still love me when I fail you?" Jesus offers us no condemnation when we walk with the Holy Spirit and not after our own fleshly desires (Romans 8:1). He forgives us. He is the loving father who calls us to obedience, but when we fail Him, picks us up and tells us to try again. If we feel condemned, that is from the Devil. The Devil does not want us to trust God's love and forgiveness.
The feeling of conviction, however, is different. Conviction occurs when the Holy Spirit makes us aware of our sin and our need for repentance and change. Conviction leads to spiritual growth. Condemnation does not. Conviction requires us to trust God, condemnation tells us not to trust Him.
Walking with Christ: The Greatest Blessing
If you long for someone to truly know you, someone who loves you, who loves you enough to have you face your failings, and who will stand by you at all times—then Jesus answers that longing. We have crosses to take up, but it is Jesus who will be with us every step of the way. We walk with the Holy Spirit of God living in us. What greater blessing can there be?
Comments