John 8:31 "If you dwell within the revelation I have brought, then you are actually my disciples."
This was one of Jesus' closing remarks after a long discussion, recorded by John, with a group of questioners, some believers, some not. What He meant is not in question. The idea "dwell within the revelation" is a Hebraism for "obey what I teach." I checked 40 or 50 other translations and paraphrases (even really poor ones like THE MESSAGE), and none have cared to lighten up what Jesus is saying here. All through these questions and answers, Jesus reinforces the idea that people are either lost or saved, believing or unbelieving, rebellious or obedient, headed to Heaven or Hell.
There is an old country song (was it Tim McGraw?) about the "words in red," a reference to the practice of some editions of the Bible to print Jesus' own words in red ink. There are several web sites up now, produced by people somewhere in the progressive church category of Christendom, in which writers like to call themselves "red letter Christians." Perusal of their content reveals that they choose the moniker because they claim to believe the words of Jesus to be true and authoritative, but question or dismiss much of the rest of Scripture.
The irony of their arguments struck me anew the other day as I was reading John. In fact the teachings of Jesus are altogether in line and consistent with those of Paul, James, Peter, Jude and the other New Testament writers. For example, many progressive Christians cannot stomach the idea that God is a just God who will judge all people one day, and consign to Hell all those who maintained rebellion against Him. But Jesus clearly and often taught about eternal punishment. In fact, He also repeatedly taught that many people who take for granted that they are His people in fact are not at all. I know full well that this idea is especially troublesome to American Southerners, who generally assume that all more or less respectable people are headed to The Good Place. But it just ain't so. Take Jesus' word for it. The flip side of Jesus' saying as quoted in the introduction above, is that those who do not submit to Jesus' teaching are actually NOT his disciples. So, to make another example, if Jesus taught that the rebellious will die in their sins, ending in eternal punishment, and a teacher among you maintains that Jesus is too nice for that, and will sooner or later save everyone, what are we left to believe about that teacher?
What I'm trying to say is "Wake Up and Smell The Coffee!" Get real. Grow up, think and deal with God for yourself. God calls on us to follow His light, while many Christian groups all around are slinking along in lockstep with American postmodern culture.
John 8:31 "If you dwell within the revelation I have brought, then you are actually my disciples."
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