Christ’s Public Ministry Concludes

Transcript

GR 385
12/28/1980
Christ’s Public Ministry Concludes
John 12:44-50
Gil Rugh

John chapter 12 in your Bibles. John's gospel and the 12th chapter. We're going to look at the conclusion of the 12th chapter of John in our study together today which gives a summary of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ as presented in the words of Christ Himself. And it will be a review in many ways of what has been presented through the 12 chapters. Remember that the first 12 chapters really present the public ministry of Christ, and with the conclusion of the 12th chapter, the public ministry of Christ is over. Chapters 13-17 will be a ministry in private of Christ with His disciples and then beginning with chapter 18 the events surrounding the coming crucifixion.

In some way the public ministry of Christ concluded with verse 36 where we were told that after Jesus spoke, He departed and hid Himself from the multitude. But then John in verses 37-43 presented an explanation in summary of Jesus' earthly ministry to demonstrate that even though the bulk of the nation had not believed in Him, the public ministry of Christ was not a failure. But rather, it accomplished God's purpose even as presented in the prophets. He quoted from Isaiah 53 and from Isaiah chapter 6 to show that God's purposes were to bring Israel to judgment for their failure to respond to Him over the years of His reaching out to them. So in the coming of Christ, He would secure salvation and also prepare the way for judgment for the nation Israel.

Now having presented his summary, in verses 44-50, John presents a summary in the words of Christ. Whether this was presented by Christ Himself altogether, or whether John has pulled together several statements of Christ we're not sure. You get the idea at the end of verse 36 that Jesus' public ministry is concluded and that John has brought together these statements as a fitting conclusion to Jesus' earthly ministry. At any rate, they tie together the public ministry of Jesus Christ, His earthly ministry in the words that Christ Himself presented and covered the basics that a person must know about Jesus Christ. You understand verses 44-50 of John chapter 12, you will have a grasp in summary of the entire earthly ministry of Christ up until His crucifixion. It covers the basics of first who was Jesus Christ? Why was He so significant? The deity of Christ is the emphasis in the opening statement. And then, why did He come? What was His purpose in coming to earth? What did He accomplish? And then thirdly, what is the response demanded from mankind to this One who has come to earth? Who is He, What did He do, and How must we respond?

Verse 44 begins, "And Jesus cried out and said, 'He who believes in Me does not believe in Me, but in Him who sent Me. And he who beholds Me beholds the One who sent Me.'" Sounds like a paradox if you only go so far. He who believes in Me does not believe in Me—the stress throughout the earthly ministry of Christ has been on the necessity of believing in Him personally. But now Jesus says if you believe in Me, you don't believe in Me. But He further explains it by saying, But rather you believe in Him who sent Me. What is being stressed here is the completeness of the identification with the Father and the Son. Your faith is not just in Me, but rather it is in the One who sent Me. "For he who beholds Me beholds the One who sent Me." There is an emphasis here on the distinction between the Father and the Son and the identity of the Father and the Son. If you have seen Jesus Christ, you have seen the Father. If you have believed in Jesus Christ, you have believed in God the Father. They are inseparably identified, even though they are distinct as persons. And if you read this with just normal understanding, you would assume there are two persons in view. The One who beholds the One who sent Me. There is Christ, the One sent and the One who sent Him. Two distinct persons. And yet they are identified as being the same in their essence or being. So if you have beheld Christ, you have beheld His Father. Now it cannot be referring to His earthly form. Jesus Christ had an earthly physical body which you could see. Which you could identify. But God the Father does not have an earthly, physical body. He does not have human form which can be seen and identified. So when Jesus says, If you have beheld Me, you behold the One who sent Me, in effect He is talking about the character or nature of God. Jesus Christ has the same attributes, if you will, of God the Father. They are both deity. The omniscience, the omnipotent, the omnipresence, the love, the holiness, etc. Attributes being those things which make God God. His unchangeable character. It is the same for the Father, the same for the Son, the same for the Holy Spirit. So when you have seen Jesus Christ, you have seen God the Father. You have seen His basic nature, His basic character, His being presented. That's all there is to see. Now there is a distinct person, God the Father, from God the Son but He is the same in His essence and nature and being. And Jesus Christ, in effect, is the One who reveals and makes Him known. So that those who come to believe in Jesus Christ believe in God the Father, and you will note that it has been emphasized repeatedly through the Gospel of John, that it is not possible to believe in God the Father apart from believing in Jesus Christ. That those who reject Jesus Christ, reject God the Father because what Jesus Christ presents is the character of God, and if you do not believe in Him you do not believe in God. There is no way to go around Jesus Christ. He and the Father are inseparably linked.

Look at several passages with me in John, beginning in chapter 1. John chapter 1, verse 18. "No man has seen God (referring to God the Father) at any time." Now you note that. No man has ever laid eyes on God the Father, "...the only begotten God.." Now remember that word 'only begotten' refers to uniqueness. It does not have anything to do with a time of beginning or being born, but rather uniqueness—some who are identified in Scripture as only begotten are not the only born children of a family but they are unique and special. Now here Jesus Christ is called the only begotten God. He is the unique God in this sense. God is comprised of three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One God and three persons. But Jesus Christ is unique in that He is the only one of those three persons who has taken upon Himself humanity, who has become a human being. He is unique. God the Father never became a human being. God the Holy Spirit never became a human being. Jesus Christ is the unique God, the only one among the three persons who has become a man. He is the one who is "in the bosom of the Father" denoting the intimacy of their relationship. "He has explained Him" or declared Him. In effect, He is the one who has made Him known, so if you come to know anything about God, you must learn it through Jesus Christ. As we’ve touched on in other studies in John, all the revelations given through the Old Testament, all the manifestations of God in the Old Testament were really manifestations of the second person of the Godhead, Jesus Christ. He is the appointed person to reveal and make God known. Now this is a crucial emphasis because in effect it says, the only way you can know anything for sure about God is to learn it through Jesus Christ. So that those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, do not learn about God through Him, do not know anything for sure about God. They have ideas about God, they have speculations about God, but true knowledge concerning God is found only through the revelation given in Jesus Christ and now recorded in the Scriptures.

Look over in John chapter 8, and verse 19. The conflict of Jesus and the Jews. "They were saying to Him, ’Where is Your Father?’ Jesus answered, ’You know neither Me, nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also."’ You see that stress. If you don't know Jesus Christ, you don’t understand and believe in Him, you don’t know God the Father. Regardless of what you think, and these Jews through they knew God, Jesus says ’You really don't know My Father, else you would know Me. And if you knew Me, you would know My Father.’

Look in John chapter 10, verse 37 and 38. "If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works; that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." There is an inseparable identity in essence and character here, even though there is a distinction in persons. That I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. When you have seen Me, you have seen the Father. And that's what John says over in John 14. We haven’t come here yet but Philip asks Jesus, ’Show us the Father and that will be sufficient. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could see God the Father.' You know what Jesus says to Philip? Verse 9. "Jesus said to him, ’Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”’ Everything there is to see and know about God is seen in Jesus Christ.

Now again, be careful. There is no physical form to be seen. That’s not what Jesus is talking about. God is a spirit, Jesus said in John chapter 4. The Father is spirit, He does not have tangible, physical existence. But as to His character and being, as to His person, it is exactly the same as Jesus Christ. Since they are both deity, they both share the same character, the same essence, the same nature, the same being, as far as their attributes, etc.

So Philip, what else is there to see? What else is there to behold? If you know Me, you know the Father. If you know what I’m like, you know what God the Father is like. If you have beheld the manifestation of My character, you have seen the character of MY Father. What else is there to see? So there is an identity in the essence and nature here between the Father and the Son. He is deity! Important stress. This one who was born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago is God in the flesh! Whose purpose is to reveal and make God known?

Look in Colossians chapter 2, verse 9. "For in Him (referring to Christ) all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form." Note that statement. All the fullness of deity, all the attributes of deity, the essence, the nature of deity dwells in a bodily form in Jesus Christ. He is unique. God the Father never became a human being. God the Spirit never became a human being. But with God the Son, Jesus Christ, you have the totality of Deity residing now in a human body, so that now human beings can learn of God through Jesus Christ.
Clear statement on the deity of Jesus Christ.

One other passage—Hebrews chapter 1. The chapter begins the Book of Hebrews, "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in a Son" that word denoting the character of sonship. This One who is a Son now is a vehicle through which God is revealing Himself. "...whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the EXACT representation of His nature." You note that. Jesus Christ precisely reveals the nature of God the Father, and He upholds all things by the word of His power. So if you want to know what God is like, just come to Jesus Christ. When you believe in Him, you believe in God. You come to understand and know God. That's why those who reject Jesus Christ, do not believe in Him, are not knowledgeable about God. It's not a matter of intellect, it's a matter of a relationship. God has chosen to make Himself known through Jesus Christ. That means people who are ignorant of Jesus Christ, people have never heard of Jesus Christ, people who have never been confronted with the truth of Christ as revealed in the Scripture, do not have any real, true accurate knowledge of God. We noted in the former study that the creation reveals God, "the heavens declare the glory of God" but because of sin man is unable to perceive and understand the revelation of creation. So to appreciate and understand the revelation of God given in creation, you must come to believe in Jesus Christ and that opens up the other facets of revelation.

Back up to John chapter 12 again. First important statement given by Christ in the summary of His earthly ministry regards His own person—that He is Deity in the flesh. That is foundational to everything else. If you do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, Deity in the flesh, then there is no salvation. The Scripture is clear. If you deny the person of Christ, you cannot be saved. That is like cults and groups that deny the Deity of Jesus Christ. It simply indicates the fact they have not experienced the salvation through faith in Him. You cannot deny His basic character and at the same time believe in Him.

Alright, He goes on then having established who He is to what He has done. Verse 46. "I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness." Now keep in mind this is a summary of the earthly ministry of Christ. In effect, it is a summary of the first 12 chapters of John. It doesn’t contain new material, but it ties together in a concise manner the first 12 chapters, as a presentation of Christ’s earthly ministry. One of the key words in the Gospel of John is the word ’light.’ It appears approximately 23 times in John’s gospel, light. And light is revelation. Jesus Christ is identified as light. "I have come as light into the world." His purpose is to come and ’make known’ to reveal something. He comes to make known the Father. He comes to reveal Father, to make spiritual reality known or visible, if we could use that word. Just the same as you turn light on in a dark room, so you can see in the room. You can see what is in the room, so spiritually Jesus Christ comes to give spiritual light, spiritual knowledge, to make God known, to make spiritual truth. "I have come as light into the world." This is emphasized several times in John as I mentioned—23 times the word is used. Over in John chapter 8 in verse 12, "Jesus spoke to them saying, 'I am the light of the world.’" You note, "I am the light of the world." Knowledge of spiritual things comes through Jesus Christ. He is the light. "The one who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

John chapter 9 and verse 5. Jesus said, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." He exhorted them in John chapter 12, verse 36, "While you have the light, believe in the light in order that you may become sons of light." In other words, Jesus Christ has come and made God known. He has revealed the fact that God is holy and righteous, that we are sinners before God that we must come to believe in the salvation that God has provided in His Son, Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection. And when we believe in Him- who He is and what He has done—then we are brought into the light. We are cleansed from our sin. The Spirit of God takes up residence in our lives and we are given the ability to know and understand things about God.

In John 12:46, Jesus said, "I have come as light into the world that everyone who believes in Me may not remain or abide in darkness." Until a person comes to believe in Jesus Christ as personal Savior, He lives in the realm of darkness as far as spiritual things are concerned. He may think he knows about God, but the Scripture says he is in the dark. He really does not know truth about God.
Look in Ephesians chapter 4. Here we are given a clear explanation of exactly what it means to be in the darkness. In verse 17 of Eph. 4, "This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk..." Gentiles here is a synonym for unbelievers, "...just as the unbelievers also walk, in the futility (or emptiness) of their mind." Explanation: "...being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God." You note here. Being darkened is the same as being excluded from the life of God. To have no Relationship with the true eternal God. They are excluded from His life. They are in the realm of darkness "because of the ignorance that is in them because of the hardness of their heart their heart is hardened toward God. We saw this earlier in John chapter 12. They are not open to what He has to say to them through Jesus Christ. They are ignorant. These are strong words! They are ignorant of God. All saying the same thing as in the darkness—they don’t have true knowledge concerning Him. Now note, it doesn't say they don't think they have knowledge! It does not say they are not religious! It says they don't have true knowledge and understanding of God because that only comes through Jesus Christ and the revelation He has given of His Father. And now that is recorded for us in the Scriptures. The written record given through the Son of God.

One other passage on this vein—Colossians chapter 1, verse 13. We are giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance in the saints in light. Saints dwell in the realm of light. "For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son" which is the kingdom of light. "...in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." So you note, we all live in the realm of darkness, alienated from God, without true understanding concerning Him. And then at some point, we were exposed to the truth that God has revealed concerning Him and came to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior personally. In that instant of time we were removed from the realm of darkness to the kingdom of light, with the ability now to know and perceive and understand truth concerning God. You can come to understanding then of how the prince of darkness is going to work in the world. Since a person must come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, the revelation given in and through Him for salvation, "for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God", then one plan Satan has is to keep people ignorant from the Scriptures. Now we get confused. Satan's plan is not to keep people from being religious. The Bible talks about doctrines of demons, teachings that have their source in demons. The purpose of Satan is to keep people ignorant of what God has revealed concerning Himself, so we have multitudes of people who are very religious and they can tell you what their church teaches and what their church believes. But the only issue is, what does God say? And that is recorded in the Scriptures. So he has as his intention to keep people ignorant of the Scriptures. That's why you can go to churches and synagogues and places of "worship" and never hear or learn anything of the Scriptures. You're really not learning about God. And secondly, if you do come to believe in Jesus Christ, you do hear the message of salvation by faith in Him—step 2. His plan is to keep you ignorant of the Scripture. Because knowledge of God comes through Jesus Christ and that is recorded in the Word of God. So if I as a Christian am ignorant of what God has said in His Word, I remain in relative ignorance concerning God. Because it is not God's plan to make Himself known to me through my feelings but rather through His Scriptures. Now I dwell in the light and I have the ability as a child of God to know and understand the truth of God. But I must study it and as I study His truth, as I consider the revelation He has given of Himself, the Spirit of God opens my understanding to enable me to grasp it and learn of God Himself.

Come back to John chapter 12. Jesus came, then, as light to remove the darkness for those who would believe. You note. It's "everyone who believes in Me" that does not remain in darkness. "If any one hears My sayings, and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world." He has talked in verse 46 about those who believe in Him. In verse 47, what about those who do not believe in Him? Interestingly, Jesus says 'I do not judge Him.' Over in John 8:15, Jesus said 'I am not judging anyone.' Well then, what happens? Verse 48. "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My sayings..." Note the similarity here. "Believe in Me" is opposed by "rejecting Me, not receiving My sayings, not believing in Me." The other side, but they all say the same thing. To not believe in Him is to reject His sayings, is to not receive what He says. "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him..." Who is it? "...the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day." So in effect, what Jesus is saying, He did not come to judge the world. At the first coming to earth when He was born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, Jesus did not come to earth to be the judge of mankind. He came to be the Savior of mankind. He came to earth so that He could die on a cross so that He could pay the penalty for the sin of mankind. His purpose in coming was not to exercise judgment, but rather to provide salvation. However, He reveals the fact that judgment will occur and the standard or basis for judgment will be what He has said. So in effect, He will be the judge but He has revealed what the judgment will be already. 'It's what I have said that will judge mankind.'

In John chapter 5, Jesus developed somewhat of the fact of coming judgment and that all mankind will subsequently be raised from the dead to be judged by the Son of Man, Jesus Christ Himself. But He reveals to us, I won’t need to exercise judgment. The standard has already been set down. Why? Note verse 49 of chapter 12. "I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment, what to say, and what to speak.” Since I have said what God told Me to say, we are going to be judged according to the standard that God has set down—My Word.

Sometimes people will come and hear a message on judgment and they go away very upset and they’ll say something like ’You ought not to judge people.’ They’ll hear a statement like, these people are not saved if they do not believe the deity of Christ. And they’ll say ’Who are you to judge?' And I want to make the statement clear so no one goes away saying, Gil Rugh thinks he’s a judge. I am not judge, I never will be judge, I have not been appointed judge. The word of Jesus Christ is the judgment. The basis, foundation, and standard for judgment. But I have that recorded in the Scripture so I can tell you what the Scripture says. Jesus said, "My word will be the judge.” And what are His words? Unless you believe in Me, you will die in your sins. So I can tell you, if you do not believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died on a cross to pay the penalty for your sins, then you will die in your sins and spend eternity in hell. And that is true, not because I said it but because Jesus Christ said it. It amazes me that God says it is sure that everyone is going to be judged by the words of Jesus Christ, and so many people are satisfied to remain in ignorance concerning what Jesus Christ has said. We’re like the proverbial ostrich. I don’t know whether they stick their heads in the sand, but I read an article this week that said about ostriches that they run very fast but they’re not very effective in getting away because under pressure often they just run around in a circle! And they turn on the speed, but they just go in a circle! Sometimes people are like that. They think if they turn on the speed they’ll get away, but they don’t realize they are running in circles. You cannot escape the fact that some day you will be judged by the word of Jesus Christ. That is true, not because I said it but because Jesus Christ said it. Jesus Christ was telling you what God the Father has planned. And you will also know what the standard of judgment will be to determine whether you will spend eternity in heaven or eternity in hell. It is whether you have come to believe personally that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died in your place on a cross. It’s that simple. You say, I don’t believe that. Why should you be right and all these other religions be wrong? I’m not. God is! And since He said it, it’s true. And it would be true if I preached something totally different because God has said it.

In verse 49, Jesus said, "I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment, what to say, and what to speak. And I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." It’s interesting that in this conclusion of the public ministry of Christ, Christ refers not to an invitation but to a command. Now it’s true, the Bible does give invitation to salvation. We are exhorted to come. The Book of Revelation concludes on the invitation of the Spirit of God to come, partake of the water of life. Jesus said in Matthew, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." But, the Scripture also lays weight on the fact that God commands all men everywhere to repent.

Look over in I John chapter 5, if you would. First John chapter 5, and this verse we're going to look at is really parallel to verse 49 of chapter 12 of John where John said "I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment what to say, and what to speak." Note 1 John 5:10, "The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness that God has borne concerning His Son. And the witness is this that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life." You note, if you do not believe what God has said in and through His Son, Jesus Christ, what He has said about His Son Jesus Christ, then you are saying God is a liar. That's strong language. A person who does not believe in Jesus Christ has said God is a liar. Now that simply reveals how sinful we really are, that I as a created being would have the audacity to say that the holy God is a liar only reveals that I am worthy of hell. You say, 'Wait a minute, wait a minute. I’m not saying God is a liar. I'm just saying I don't believe in Jesus Christ.' Well, God says Jesus Christ is My Son. He is the One who died for your sins and if you don't believe that, you're saying I'm a liar so you see there is no middle ground. There are those that believe in Jesus Christ, and there are those who believe God is a liar. All humanity divides into two groups—those who believe in Jesus Christ as personal Savior and those who think God lies.

Look over in 1 John chapter 3. In verse 50 of John 12 Jesus has said, 'I know that His commandment is eternal life.' What is the commandment of God? 1 John chapter 3, verse 23. "And this is His commandment that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us." Note. God has given His commandment. What has He commanded us to do? First, to believe in the name of His Son. The name stands for all that He is. You must believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died on a cross. That's God's commandment. If you don't believe it, you are in rebellion against God. And those in rebellion against God will be punished by eternal destruction from God. God hasn't said it would be nice if you do this. It would be a good idea unless you come up with a religion that has an alternative plan. He says, 'Here is the command of the sovereign God, ruler of All. Believe in My Son.' And some people say, 'NO!' Well, then the sovereign, eternal God must punish those who refuse to obey Him for their sinful rebellion with eternity in hell. But the commandment is eternal life. Those who do obey the commandment. Now note. What is the commandment? It's not keep the Ten Commandments. It's not try to keep the Ten Commandments because the commandment is eternal life. What is the commandment of God? God's single commandment to the unbeliever today is, Believe in the name of My Son. Your eternal destiny hangs on this one question— Have you believed that Jesus Christ the Son of God died on a cross to pay the penalty for your sins personally? Not for sins, but for your sin personally?
All eternity hinges on that question. You heard it at Indian Hills Community Church this morning, and some day you will be judged before Jesus Christ on the basis of what He has said. Whether you have believed in Him or not. Whether you believe that or not is up to you. The truth of it is unchanging, not because I said it but because God has said it in His word.

Now for those who have believed, the commandment in verse 23 of 1 John 3 is, "...to love one another." So the first commandment is to believe in Him. When you believe in Him, you are born into His family. You are brought into a personal relationship with Him. Now you are to love others who have come to believe in Him as well. A manifestation that you have been born into God's family is that you love the children of God. Some people claim to believe in Jesus Christ but they have no interest in being with other Christians. They have no interest in the things of God, manifesting the fact that they have no relationship with Him at all. This is His commandment and His commandment is eternal life, an eternal relationship with Him.

So John has brought together a summary of the earthly ministry of Christ, as Christ Himself presents it. What does it entail? First, you must understand who Jesus Christ is. He is Deity in the flesh! He is the One who reveals fully and completely God. God in the flesh.

Secondly, what did He do? He came to make God known to mankind. To provide revelation concerning God. To make it possible for those who believe in Him to be brought out of darkness into light. He accomplished this ultimately through His death on a cross and His resurrection from the dead. Thus, it concludes with a command—God’s command is Believe in My Son. And the blessing of that is that when you do, you will have life.

My question to you this morning, Have you come to believe in Jesus Christ? Perhaps you celebrate His birth. Perhaps you celebrate His death and resurrection. Perhaps you are faithful in attending a church or a religious place. But the only issue is, have you personally come to believe in Him as the One who died for you? And if you have, are you following through? He has commanded us to love one another. Are we being clear on the presentation of Jesus Christ to the world in which we find ourselves? We have a Savior who is God in the flesh.
His purpose in coming was to make God known and to provide salvation for those who would believe in Him. And God’s command is, Believe and have life. Let’s pray together.

Father, we praise you this morning for the simplicity of the message that we’ve considered from you today. That your Son came to earth, became a human being that He might make fully known to humanity God Himself. And Lord, His life was concluded by death on a cross. What a glorious death, a death in which
He paid the penalty for the sins of the human race so that it would be possible for all who would believe in Him to have forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

Lord, I pray for those who have come this morning. Perhaps they are regular attenders at Indian Hills. Perhaps they are visiting with family or friends. Lord, I Pray that the Spirit might cause them to see that the issue is Jesus Christ. Have they come to believe in Him? I pray that they might place their faith in Him this morning as the One who died for them.

Lord, for those of us who have may our hearts be filled with gratitude and praise for who Jesus Christ is, for what He has done. Give us boldness in sharing your commandment with men and women today that they must believe in Jesus Christ, and when they do they'll have eternal life, for we pray in His name