would have been saved. In one sense, he perished because he didn't put on the parachute. But the primary reason he died was because he broke the law of gravity.
If a sinner refuses to trust in Jesus Christ when he passes through the door of death, he will perish. This isn't because he refused to trust the Savior, but because he transgressed the Law of God. Had he "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14), he would have been saved; but because he refused to repent, he will suffer the full consequences of his sin.
Sin is not "failing to believe in Jesus." Sin is "transgression of the Law" (1 John 3:4).
CHAPTER 17 These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify your Son, that your Son also may glorify you:
2 As you have given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
4 I have glorified you on the earth: I have finished the work which you gave me to do.
SPRINGBOARDS FOR PREACHING AND WITNESSING 17:3 Experiential Faith Our faith isn't intellectual; it is experiential. We don't know about God, we know Him. At the University of Chicago Divinity School, each year they have what is called "Baptist Day." It is a day when the school invites all the Baptists in the area to the school because they want the Baptist dollars to keep coming in.
On this day each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area.
Every "Baptist Day" the school would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education center. One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr. Tillich spoke for two-and-a-half hours proving that the resurrection of Jesus was false. He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection, the religious tradition of the Church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo, because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact, never rose from the dead in any literal sense. He then asked if there were any questions.
After about 30 seconds, an old preacher with a head of short-cropped, woolly white hair stood up in the back of the auditorium.
"Docta Tillich, I got one question," he said as all eyes turned toward him. He reached into his lunch sack and pulled out an apple and began eating it. "Docta Tillich (crunch, munch), my question is a simple one (crunch, munch). Now, I ain't never read them books you read (crunch, munch), and I can't recite the Scriptures in the original Greek (crunch, munch). I don't know nothin' about Niebuhr and Heidegger (crunch, munch)." He finished the apple. "All I wanna know is: This apple I just ate—was it bitter or sweet?"
Dr. Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion: "I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven't tasted your apple." The white-haired preacher dropped the apple core into his crumpled paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillich and said calmly, "Neither have you tasted my
The 1,000-plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium erupted with applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him" (Psalm 34:8). It has been well said, "The man with an experience is not at the mercy of a man with an argument."
5 And now, O Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was.
6 I have manifested your name to the men which you gave me out of the world: yours they were, and you gave them me; and they have kept your word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever you have given me are of you.
8 For I have given to them the words which you gave me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from you, and they have believed that you did send me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which you have given me; for they are yours.
10 And all mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you.
Holy Father, keep through your own name those whom you have given me, that they may be one, as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name: those that you gave me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 And now come I to you; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth.
18 As you have sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22 And the glory which you gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom you have given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which you have given me: for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, the world has not known you: but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me.
26 And I have declared to them your name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.
17:5 Jesus' unique words: Jesus declared that He was with the Father before the world came into existence, and that the Father loved
Him before the foundation of the world (v.24). Hebrews 7:3 tells us that He had no beginning. He not only existed before Abraham (John 8:58), He existed before the creation of the world (John 1:1–3).
17:14 Do you feel discouraged by negative reactions to the gospel? You shouldn't.
According to the Gospels, the religious leaders tried to kill Jesus ten times. Let's look to Scripture and see what happened when Paul preached the biblical gospel:
Acts 13:45: The crowd began "contradicting and blaspheming."
Acts 13:50: Paul and Barnabas were persecuted and thrown out of the region.
Acts 14:5: The crowd plotted to stone them, forcing them to flee.
Acts 14:19: Paul was stoned and left for dead.
Acts 16:23: Both Paul and Silas were beaten with "many stripes" and thrown in prison.
Acts 18:6: Paul's hearers "opposed themselves, and blasphemed."
Acts 19:26–28: His hearers were "full of wrath" and seized Paul's companions.
Acts 20:23: The Holy Spirit warned Paul that bonds and afflictions awaited him wherever he preached the gospel.
Acts 22:21,22: His listeners called for his death.
Acts 23:1,2: As soon as he began to speak, he was smacked in the mouth.
Acts 23:10. After Paul spoke there was "great dissension" in the crowd and he was nearly "pulled in pieces."