The objective of this lesson: to emphasize that there is no substitute for faith in Jesus Christ.

In this lesson, you might more easily react to the thoughts than think about the thoughts. You are encouraged to think and reflect rather than emotionally react without thought.

As you study this lesson, use your "head" (intellect) to think before you use your emotions to react.

It is very simple for all religious people who regard themselves to be Christians to substitute another form of confidence for faith in Jesus Christ. It is simple to become a devoutly religious person who has enormous faith in something, but does not focus that faith in Jesus Christ. For instance, it is simple to replace confidence in the crucified, resurrected Jesus Christ with faith in scripture, or faith in a church, or faith in a heritage, or faith in a system, or faith in procedures and processes, or faith in an appreciated group, or faith in a respected person.

Typically, when Christians view themselves as "fundamentalists," they tend [not consciously or intentionally] to substitute strong convictions centered on "hows" for faith in God's accomplishments in Jesus' atoning death and the resurrection. This does not imply the substitution is experienced only by devout people who define conviction on the basis of a matter [or matters] regarded to be of essential importance. It is too common for devout religious people who sincerely view themselves as Christians to make this basic substitution. Such devout persons [from all bands on Christianity's spectrum] too frequently substitute faith in a church, faith in a movement, faith in a process, or faith in a heritage for faith in Jesus Christ. Frequently this is NOT a conscious substitution. In fact, the greater majority of the time these people are convinced that placing faith in a church, a movement, a process, or a heritage IS identical with placing faith in Jesus Christ. In their thinking, placing faith in a "how" or a "what" is synonymous with placing faith in God's savior.

A study of scripture that does not nurture faith in Jesus Christ will not lead a person to God. Mere knowledge of scripture is not the way to God. Faith in Jesus is the way to God. A church that does not build its heart by using faith in Jesus Christ is not a church that leads to God. A heritage that does not have faith in Jesus Christ as its core cannot lead a person to God. A group of people or an individual who is not linked to God by faith in Jesus Christ cannot influence us toward God. Never has God presented faith in Jesus Christ as a system, a process, or a procedure.

Perhaps the most common form of substitution is substituting the study of scripture for faith in Jesus. Sometimes that substitution may be the placing more confidence in reading scripture than in nurturing a daily life based on confidence in Jesus. Sometimes that substitution may be the placing of great confidence in in-depth research of scripture for allowing Jesus to be the foundation of everyday existence. It is simple to conclude there is greater spiritual benefit to be found in knowledge of scripture than in deepening faith in Jesus Christ. Often knowledge of scripture is prized and faith in Jesus is questioned. Certainly, exposure to and study of scripture should result in greater faith in Jesus. Unfortunately, some times it does not--especially if reading/study is used to fortify positions rather than deepen an understanding of what God did/does in Jesus' death and resurrection.

In the last few lessons, we focused on Jesus' definitive declaration in John 14:6. Note carefully the last statement in that verse: "No one comes to the Father but through me." Rather than applying that statement to all the religious people with whom you disagree, apply it to yourself. How? Make this statement to yourself: "The only way that I can come to God is through Jesus Christ." It is much too easy to be convinced within ourselves that the essential key for coming to God is by "having faith in what I regard to be essential scriptures," or "placing my faith in a church," or "putting faith in a heritage," or "knowing my system/procedure/process is correct."

The fact that Jesus is the route, the access to God should be stressed. That is how Jesus consciously presented himself to his disciples. He declared that he was/is the essential link between humans and God.

Is that a rejection of scripture, church, Christ-centered heritage, or Christ-centered understandings of God's will? NO! It is a rejection of substituting faith in scripture, or the church, or heritage, or personalized understandings of God's will for faith in Jesus Christ. It is the declaration that it is not sufficient for anyone, including self, just to be devoutly religious.

This emphasis is NOT a rejection of scripture, the church, heritage, or elements of God's will. That is not the intent or the objective. It is the plea for devout believers to use scripture, the church, heritage, and all of God's will to magnify the Lordship of Jesus Christ to the glory of God. These expressions of devotion should elevate God's accomplishment in Jesus Christ, not complete with the significance God gave Jesus Christ.

Reading the Bible is not enough. Only faith in Jesus Christ is sufficient. Please read the Bible, but let those readings deepen faith in Jesus! "Going to church" is not enough. Only faith in Jesus Christ is sufficient. Please assemble with Christians in worship, but learn to worship so that worship leads us closer to Jesus Christ. Honoring our religious heritage is not enough. Only faith in Jesus Christ is sufficient. Give thanks to God for everything in your past that led to conversion, but let those influences firmly anchor your life to Jesus Christ.

Stress the fact that nothing can compete with or replace faith in Jesus Christ. That faith is the beginning of conversion. That faith is the core of daily Christian existence.

Why? Jesus himself said, "No one comes to the Father but through me." No one, including us, will come to the Father by some route other than Jesus Christ. Faith in anything other than Jesus Christ is insufficient to bring the person to God.

The crucified redeemer is the only one who atoned for our sins. Only through his dying blood flows the atonement resulting in God's forgiveness. Only in God's resurrection of him from death is the power of new life. He is essential in coming to God.

Consider a statement Jesus made in John 5:39-47. Begin by noting the situation. It was a Jewish Sabbath day (Saturday). Jesus met and talked to a man at the pool of Bethesda who had been sick for 38 years. Jesus healed the man of his sickness and instructed him to get up, take his pallet, and go.

Read the incident and familiarize yourself with the things that occurred. If you need to research to understand some of the "whys," do so. Remember this is first century Jewish reactions in first century Jewish society.

The Jewish leaders regarded the act of carrying a pallet on the Sabbath day to be a violation of the Sabbath day (see Exodus 20:8-10). By their definition, carrying a pallet was an act of work. Therefore, it violated the Sabbath injunction given to Israel.

"Work" as a word and concept had accepted definitions to enable a conscientious Jew to "correctly" keep the Sabbath. He would not unknowingly violate the Sabbath injunction against work on a Sabbath (see Exodus 20:8-10 and the Mishnah, Second Division--Moed, Shabbath).

Not only did they condemn the healed man, but they also demanded that he tell them who instructed him to violate the Sabbath. At first he did not know the person who gave him the instruction. Later, after learning Jesus' identity, he told those people that Jesus healed him.

Note the Jewish leaders were not only displeased with the deed, but also with the person who encouraged the deed. Fault extended beyond the healed man who carried the pallet.

Verses 16-18 gives three reactions of these people to Jesus. (1) They persecuted him because Jesus "worked" on the Sabbath. [In fact, they despised him so much they wanted to kill him.] (2) From their perspective, Jesus violated the Sabbath. (3) From their perspective, when he called God his Father, he made himself equal to God.

Help your students see the intensity of the reaction against Jesus. In support of "God's will," they could cause Jesus physical suffering. In support of "God's will," they could wish Jesus dead. In support of "God's will," they could hate Jesus. In love for God, they could harm God's son.

Verses 19-38 contains part of Jesus' discussion with these opponents. Note especially verses 39-47. Scripture occupied a central place of religious/spiritual importance to Jesus' opponents. (1) They understood that searching the scriptures should result in obtaining eternal life. (2) They would have agreed that searching the scriptures would reveal the "identifying factors" that revealed the Messiah [Christ]. (3) They believed searching the scriptures would reveal God's love.

Help your students see that Jesus' opponents were scripture searching people. These were people who relied on and defended scripture.

Consider Jesus' declarations about searching the scripture. (1) Scripture pointed to him as the Messiah. (2) Scripture confirmed (a) his mission to bring life and (b) his relationship with God.

Help your students see that Jesus said, "If you search scripture, you should see me."

Consider the consequences that fell on his scripture searching opponents. (1) They refused to realize that Jesus was the Messiah [he was not what they expected/wanted in the Messiah]. (2) In refusing to see his relationship with God, they confirmed they had no relationship with God. (3) They derived their sense of "correctness" from each other rather than from God. (4) Moses, God's spokesman on whom they relied, would condemn them because they failed to see ALL he declared in scripture.

Emphasize that there were consequences associated with a failure to be open to all scripture declared. If these people correctly understood the message of scripture. they should have accurately identified Jesus and recognized God at work in his ministry.

Note: Jesus' opponents searched the scripture. Yet, they failed to see that Jesus did what scripture said he would do. They did not come to God through Jesus. That failure meant that they did not come to God at all. Notice these people could not substitute a search of scripture for Jesus. Notice their failure to come to God through Jesus meant they did not come to God.

It is sobering to realize that we can search the scripture and be blind to the message of scripture. A comprehensive understanding of scripture always will lead us to God's accomplishments in Jesus' death and resurrection

We can see how others might search the scripture and fail to recognize God's will. Yet, we do not see how we can search the scripture and fail to come to God. If a search of scripture does not (a) result in recognizing who Jesus is as the Christ and (b) deepen one's faith in Jesus Christ, the search of scripture produces consequences, not blessings.

The correct focus to have when searching the scripture (a) is on understanding God's work in Jesus Christ, and (b) not on high lighting everyone else's failures.

Thought and discussion question:

Discuss how and why religious people too often substitute religious practices [of all types] for faith in Jesus Christ.

At the core of the discussion should be this understanding: it is much easier to place confidence in a system than it is to place faith in a compassionate savior who forgives the repentant.

Link to Student Guide Lesson 13

Copyright © 2003
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ

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