A Theology of Unbelief
[John 12:37-50]
John 12:37-38 37
Though he had done so many signs before 38 them, they still did not believe in him, 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?"
John 12:39-41 39
Therefore they could not believe. For again 40 Isaiah said, "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, 41 and I would heal them." Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.
John 12:42-43 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 43 be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
John 12:44-46 44
And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him 45 who sent me. And whoever sees me sees 46 him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.�
John 12:47-48 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 48 world. 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.�
John 12:49-50 49
“For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment- what to 50 say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me."
A Theology of Unbelief • Warning: Unbelief Can Become Permanent (v. 37-43) • Blessing: the Opportunity to Believe is a Gift (v. 44-50)
John 12:37 37
Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,
A Theology of Unbelief • Warning: Unbelief Can Become Permanent (v. 37-43) - Our Sin: God’s blessings aren’t enough (37-38)
John 12:37-38 37
Though he had done so many signs before 38 them, they still did not believe in him, 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?“ [Isaiah 53:1]
John 3:19 The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.
A Theology of Unbelief • Warning: Unbelief Can Become Permanent (v. 37-43) - Our Sin: God’s blessings aren’t enough (37-38) - God’s Judgment: His patience comes to an end (39-41)
John 12:39-41 39
Therefore they could not believe. For again 40 Isaiah said, "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, 41 and I would heal them." Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. [Isaiah 6:10]
Isaiah 6:8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
God’s judicial hardening is a holy condemnation of guilty people who are condemned to do and be what they themselves have chosen.  D.A. Carson
A Theology of Unbelief • Warning: Unbelief Can Become Permanent (v. 37-43) - Our Sin: God’s blessings aren’t enough (37-38) - God’s Judgment: His patience comes to an end (39-41)
- Evidence of Guilt: we reject His grace (47-48)
John 12:47 “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.�
Jesus as Judge?
“I did not come to judge”
“For judgment I came”
3:17-20 5:45 8:15 12:47
5:25-29 8:16,26 9:39
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
John 12:47-48 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 48 world. 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.�
John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
A Theology of Unbelief • Warning: Unbelief Can Become Permanent (v. 37-43) - Our Sin: God’s blessings aren’t enough (37-38) - God’s Judgment: His patience comes to an end (39-41) - Evidence of Guilt: we reject His grace (47-48) - Dangerous Place: you can’t stay on the fence (42-43)
John 12:42-43 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 43 be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
John 2:23-24 Many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people.
John 6:66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
Luke 9:26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory.
John 19:38-39 Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also . . .
John 12:42-43 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 43 be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
John 5:44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
A Theology of Unbelief • Warning: Unbelief Can Become Permanent (v. 37-43) • Blessing: the Opportunity to Believe is a Gift (v. 44-50)
A Theology of Unbelief • Blessing: the Opportunity to Believe is a Gift (v. 44-50) - We can see the Father when we believe in Jesus (44-45)
John 12:44-45 44
And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him 45 who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.
John 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
A Theology of Unbelief • Blessing: the Opportunity to Believe is a Gift (v. 44-50) - We can see the Father when we believe in Jesus (44-45)
- We can hear God when we hear the Son (49-50)
John 12:49-50 49
“For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment- what to 50 say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me."
A Theology of Unbelief • Blessing: the Opportunity to Believe is a Gift (v. 44-50) - We can see the Father when we believe in Jesus (44-45)
- We can hear God when we hear the Son (49-50) - We can leave the dark when we come to the Light (46)
John 12:46 46
I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.�
John 8:12 "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."