Am I "Of God?"

Have you ever wondered why there are certain verses you won't see posted on Facebook pages, read prior to a sermon, or memorized by those who follow Jesus? They are either just too convicting, like Luke 6.46: "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?" Or they are too definitive, like 1John 2.6 "Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did." Or they are just too hard to explain in 200 words or less, like any verse that contains the word "predestined" (there's six direct and more indirect ones). But sometimes, we just think they are too simple to be true and thereby believed.

Take John 8.47 as an example. It plainly states: "Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God." Jesus was telling "the Jews who had believed in Him" that they were unwilling to hear the truth from His mouth because they were sons of the Devil and not of God. If they were truly His disciples, they would abide in His word and know the truth, and then be free. They didn't ask Him questions about the Bible, about application, or about how to be godly, but instead argued that they were already free.

How many "who believe in Him" hear the Word and then argue that it doesn't apply to them? That they are free in Christ to live as their hearts lead them or that God's word is only a bunch of stories and not meant to be obeyed? The simple truth is that those who are of God will hear God's word and put its principles into practice. It's a simple truth many believers will never know because they are not willing to hear.