HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE?

John 5:31-47

Key Verses 46-47

“[46] If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. [47] But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”

In today’s passage Jesus asks the Pharisees twice, “How are you going to believe?” how many times did they answer? Zero. This question, “How are you going to believe?” is very important because it asks us about the foundation of our belief (or unbelief). In the previous passage, Jesus taught the importance of why one must believe in Jesus. Look at verse 24. “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” 

Ultimately, he pointed them to the Scriptures as God’s own testimony that Jesus is the Son of God that gives life to whoever believes in him. Jesus teaches here that the key factor to know and believe in him is by knowing and believing the Scriptures, emphasizing “believing” the Scriptures. 

Jesus was speaking to Pharisees. Who knew or studied the Bible as much as they did? Is there anyone here who thinks that may know the Old Testament better than these Pharisees? And yet you believe in Jesus, but these more knowledgeable did not. Did they miracles or special revelation? No. They already had the best access to the best resources. And yet, when Jesus came and worked, they did not know who he was. When Jesus healed an invalid of 38 years, they accused Jesus of sinning. But Jesus explained that it was the work of God the Father to help that man and all who hear it believe. Based on one event, two completely different interpretations came out. What a shock! Where God was working among them, they accused Jesus of breaking the law and being a sinner. The saw the exact opposite of what God was showing them. 

So we want to listen to Jesus’ explanations of the testimonies about him so that we can come to know him and believe in him as the Son of God, and receive life from him. Although Jesus said these words to help them believe, we can learn from their mistakes to listen to God’s testimony of who Jesus is. May God help us to have the right basis of believing in Jesus and open our eyes to the work he is doing. 

First, John the Baptist’s testimony

Look at verses 31-35. 

1 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid. 33 You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.”

John’s testimony is the large part of the beginning of this gospel, from chapters 1-3. John testified clearly that Jesus is Son of God who came to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He even said clearly to the Pharisees and to his disciples that he was not the Christ. His purpose was only to make the way for the Lord and reveal the Lord to the people. Revealing Jesus as the Son of God was the entire purpose of John’s ministry. And we saw how two disciples of John became disciples of Jesus and then the number increased to five as they all told their friends and brothers, “We have found the Messiah!” The author of this gospel, the disciples John, was one of those two who listened to John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus and went to Jesus. 

John’s testimony is also weighty because his actions backed up his testimony. In the first place, many, many people were repenting and turning to God. God was clearly working through John’s ministry. Soldiers repented of extortion and stopped. Tax collectors repented of taking too much and stopped. Prostitutes repented of their immorality and stopped. All the people came to him. His ministry was causing such a movement that many thought that John might be the Christ. But he didn’t become proud or try to take the spotlight. He confessed, “[Jesus] must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). When his disciples were jealous that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John at one point, John was glad. He testified that that was what was given him from heaven.

Therefore, it is important for us to see God’s work through changed lives and humble servants. I believe that all of us here want to see God’s work happening among us with great momentum and force. And God is surely working because Jesus said, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and, I, too, am working.” We can look first to see the work of God in repentance among us and support those who are repenting. Even we should repent a lot to for God to work among us. And we need to be humble to clearly point people to Jesus in everything that we do, so that Jesus can say that the members of the Downey UBF testify to me and I know that it is valid. 

Look at verse 34 again. 

Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.

He did not rely on people to validate the work he was doing, because his work was from God, so he didn’t look to man’s testimony. But he mentioned it only for their sake that they might be saved. How amazing it is to see that Jesus was trying so hard to help these Pharisees to be saved. They looked so rotten for being hypocrites, abusing others, and not caring about others. But he didn’t reject them altogether. He wanted them to be saved. He hoped that they would remember John’s testimony and repent. 

Look at verse 35 again.

John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.

Here Jesus mentions their first problem why they didn’t hear or understand John’s testimony about Jesus. They only wanted to enjoy John’s ministry to their liking without applying it to themselves. They “chose” to “enjoy” John’s light for a time. That time probably ended when John challenged them to repent and believe in Jesus by saying John himself was not the Christ, but Jesus. So, they only were doing what they could enjoy. And when they couldn’t enjoy it anymore, because they didn’t want to apply repentance to themselves, they chose not to enjoy John anymore. Their basis was off. Their basis was themselves and their own enjoyment, not John’s message, which was the testimony about Jesus. So then they really didn’t enjoy Jesus. So we learn from their first mistake that we can’t treat the Bible as something we just enjoy or like however we please, liking this part and that part. We have to apply all the word of God, even the challenging parts and parts we don’t like, to our daily lives, meaning, putting God’s word in practice. Firstly, by repentance. When we hear Jesus’ word to love one another, then let’s do that without making excuses. Jesus said to pray for all nations. So let’s pray for all nations without excuses. And so on.

Second, the testimony of the work Jesus was doing.

Look at verse 36. 

“I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.”

Here, Jesus says that the work he was doing is a weightier testimony than that of John’s. Of course, Jesus’ own work is greater than John’s.  

As we’ve seen, Jesus did many things in John’s gospel so far: calling disciples to follow him, turning water to wine, meeting Nicodemus and a Samaritan woman. All different, but the work in each one was the same work: leading people to know him and believe in him. 

Let’s consider again the invalid man of 38 years that prompted today’s passage. Jesus made it very clear that he healed the man. He did so when he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” Do you remember how he answered? Look again at verse 7. “Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Basically, he said, “It’s impossible.” So by his own admission he confirmed that he was made well only by Jesus and not anything else. Then it was clear that without a doubt Jesus had made him well. And later when questioned about who made him well, he answered quickly, “Jesus.” It was not a coincidence. It was Jesus.

But the man didn’t believe. However, healing him was not an isolated special mercy. Jesus wanted all those who hear to believe and be saved. He even wanted these Pharisees to be saved through that event. The man didn’t believe although his body was healed. He rejected Jesus twice. So Jesus moved on to help the Pharisees believe in him. Who could heal an invalid of 38 years just by speaking? Only the Son of God.

In the case of Nicodemus, Jesus didn’t perform a miraculous sign, although Nicodemus was expecting it. But Jesus taught him to believe in the Son of Man who would be lifted up that all who believe in him may be saved. What was the basis of this teaching? It was the Scriptures, particularly the book of Numbers, chapter 21, which teaches Jesus’ work to die on the cross for the sin of the world. Nicodemus thought about it for a long time and was wishy washy. But when he saw Jesus crucified, he saw the work of God and believed. And he made it public that he was a believer. 

The Samaritan woman had a similar case. Jesus did not perform any miraculous sign, but he did reveal her past to her in a surprising way at the well. Then as he taught her about worship, only one thing filled her mind and heart which she went away to tell the townspeople, “Come see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Christ?” It was a miracle in itself to see the woman was hid from all the people because of her past to joyfully and quickly expose herself and go to them doing nothing but telling them to come to Jesus. And finally the whole town came to Jesus and listened to his words and confessed, “Now we know that this man really is the savior of the world.” Everyone had given up on the woman, including herself. She hid from everyone except her boyfriend. But for her to believe and be restored to the community as a witness of Jesus was a clear testimony of his work as the Son of God.

Jesus teaching and healing ministry, his sufferings and death on the cross clearly testify that he is the Son of God.

This was the Pharisees second problem. They conveniently ignored the fact that Jesus did what no one else could do, so that they could accuse him of a technicality. So their reasoning became so twisted. Healing on a Sabbath became work on a Sabbath, rather than coming to the understanding that God is also working, even on the Sabbath, to save people from their sins. 

We see many people have been changed by Jesus and it is a miracle. Sometimes we can be fatalistic about the work of God, thinking that he is not working, especially on me, only other people. Pharisees also thought like this. Jesus paid attention to sinners and tax collectors and didn't praise them as they had expected. When we get like that we can look to the work Jesus has done which testifies to him. We can see the examples of so many people who experienced Jesus’ healing through faith in him. If you have a problem that is bothering you, most likely Jesus has helped another person overcome a similar problem, if not worse than yours. That is a testimony for us to believe in Jesus. At the summer conference there will be a Heroes of Faith symposium from the discipleship groups. It is a good chance to see how Jesus changed and worked in the lives of these people. When they believed in Jesus he did great works in their lives and through their lives leading many more to believe in him. And we can look to the cross of Jesus as Nicodemus did. 

Third, the testimony of God the Father

Look at verses 37-40. 

37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Of course, this is the weightiest testimony of them all, God’s own testimony. He has testified through the Scriptures. Here Jesus reduced all the Scriptures to a single person, himself. All the word of God and all the truths of the Bible are testifying about him. 

Again, this is surprising because of all the people who came to the Scriptures most often, it was the Pharisees. In fact, it was their profession. And yet it was these same Pharisees who did not seek the work of God that Jesus was doing nor believe that he is the Son of God. They had all the resources but came to the worst possible conclusion. How did it happen?

They studied diligently, but Jesus says that the word of God did not “dwell” in them. It was not living inside of them. They had a one-sided relationship with the Scriptures. It was their tool. They studied diligently, taking only what they liked for their benefit, without listening to the Scriptures. According to verse 39, they studied based on their own thinking about of how to get eternal life. So already the order was backwards. They already had their thinking of how to get eternal life and so studied diligently. But they needed to listen to the word of God to learn how to get eternal life. They were not following God’s way, but only their own thinking. Jesus said, “You think,” and “you chose to enjoy.” Their basis was only their thinking and enjoyment, but not listening to God. So although the Scriptures testify about Jesus, they “refused” to go to Jesus to get life. They persisted according to their own thinking and tradition. The very foundation they stood on to accuse Jesus, was actually the strongest testimony to who he is. But they thought they had graduated and were masters, so they didn’t listen.

We have a few graduates this week, such as Christina, Steven, and Lucia. Congratulations to them! But remember that we cannot graduate from the Scriptures! We don’t study the scriptures to think or to enjoy or to enjoy our thinking, but to know and believe Jesus and have life in him. 

Look at verses 41-44.

"I do not accept praise from men, [42] but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. [43] I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. [44] How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?”

Here Jesus brings up their third problem which hindered them from listening to the testimony of the Scriptures: seeking praise from others, and so not having the love of God in their hearts. They made so many efforts to get praise from others, showing off their Bible knowledge, sitting at the good seats at the table, making lengthy shows of prayers, and so on. But they did not make the right effort. We have to turn all our attention and attention seeking to him. Jesus teaches here that it's okay to seek praise and attention. In fact, it’s good for us. But we have to seek them from the right person, and that is God, and not anyone else. 

We're going to have a very hard time throughout our lives if we seek praise from people. You know, people change their opinions all the time. Someone who praises you today may not praise you tomorrow. What they like about you today, they may not like tomorrow. It’s too stressful. You will hang on to peoples every word only to get tossed like a little boat out on the open sea going up and down with the large waves. God is God and praise from him equals lasting reward in heaven. And it is good to hang to his every word for God’s word endures. Jesus said, “heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Jesus’ words are more stable than even the existence of the heavens and the earth. They are the most practical and foundational for our belief, not praise from others, or other “signs” to seek. Only his word. So we need to seek him there and seek praise from him. There are so many kinds of wisdoms and counselors and therapists, but the word of God is the wisest for it is the most stable and enduring.

Here are some questions to consider: “Can I do the work of God without getting acknowledged by others? Can I even do the work of God although rather than praise, people may say negative things or persecutions follow?” Well, Jesus did all these things and yet he was not phased or moved by the Pharisees constant accusations. Why was he so stable? Is it because Jesus does not feel or understand rejection or not being accepted by others as normal people like us do? No. He was so stable because he did not accept praise from men. It means he didn’t take in even the good stuff. “I do not accept praise from men” (36). He only sought praise from God the Father. This made Jesus to be truly stable as he did the work of God. He even had a heart that wished that these accusing and hypocritical Pharisees would believe in him and be saved. That’s what he wanted. So he didn’t accuse them back although he had many things to say about them. Instead, he tried to help them. In fact, he was inviting them to him. He asked them, “How can you believe?” So we need to clear out all the hindrances of the word of God speaking to us, such as seeking praise from others. 

Look at verses 45-47.

45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”

He warned about the shocking reality that Moses, on whom their hopes were set, would be the one to accuse them before the Father. So he asked them again, “How are you going to believe what I say?” Unfortunately for them, they did not answer him at this time. But he put the question out. They heard it. The door was not closed for them. They had the chance still to answer the question for themselves and go to him. 

Some avoid Moses saying they have Jesus now and so the Old Testament is not valid because it’s just a shadow. But here Jesus validates Moses in this passage, saying that we should believe Moses to believe in him because Moses wrote about Jesus.

We recently went through 16 chapters in the book of Leviticus for daily bread passage. I guess Leviticus is the most unread book of Moses, maybe of the whole Old Testament. But Jesus says that Leviticus is testifying about him! Especially, Leviticus testifies to the purifying and sin-forgiving blood Jesus shed as the atoning sacrifice for our sins so that we can live as a holy people belonging to God. It was really wonderful! How many went through all 16 chapters? How many wrote Bible testimonies on these passages? When we believe Leviticus we can that it is talking about the thorough cleansing power of Jesus' blood that forgives all our sins and builds us up to be a truly holy and godly people to be with God and serve him. Then we can cast out all doubts and fully believe the complete and cleansing power of Jesus' blood which is effective to me by faith in him. Today’s passage also tells us the practical benefits to writing bible testimonies each day. It is so that we can hear the word of God, apply it to our daily lives, and learn about Jesus and have faith in him. Jesus asked them a second time, “How are you going to believe?” But they still didn’t answer. Yet he didn’t cut them off or condemn them. But he asked them. He planted that word in their hearts. He wanted them to answer and to turn and believe. Now is the time for us to believe based on the scriptures as well. 

Right now our UBF ministry is celebrating a 50th anniversary. Some our coworkers went to Korea to participate in this thanksgiving celebration. It is really a huge thanks topic that the Lord enables us to serve him and the campus ministry for the last 50 years with vision for much more. But we cannot rely on 50 years history of a UBF church or system to know and believe in Jesus. We must come to the word of God that testifies to Jesus. As we believe the scriptures, we can be led to Jesus and have faith in him. One thing that is good about the UBF legacy is the late Dr. Lee's direction to go back to the Bible. This is also Jesus' words.

Today, we learn that to see the work of God and who Jesus is, we have to listen to God in the Bible, by applying the word of God to our own hearts and daily lives with repentance and faith. May God help us to have faith in Jesus based on the Bible.

One Word: Believe the Bible!