Lost!

(John 8:21-22)

What is one of the most frustrating and annoying things that can happen to you? When you lose something and cannot find it. Even though you hunt high and low, the darn thing just cannot be found anywhere. Think about the times you may have misplaced your keys, wallet, cell phone or something else you needed. Do you feel the frustration even now just thinking about it?

Well there is something even worse that you can lose that makes missing your cell phone pale into insignificance and the Lord tells us about it here in this scripture.

Losing Salvation

How would it be if you lost your chance to be saved? And what if the Lord Himself told you that even though you seek Him, you would be lost? Well that is exactly what Jesus said to the Jewish leaders in this scripture. In verses 21-22 of John 8 he says,

21 Again he said to them, “I go away, and you will seek me and die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.”
22 Then said the Jews, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

He said here, “…you will seek me and die in your sin.” The Jewish leaders, priests, Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees, were all well aware that the Messiah was coming. They had studied the prophecies and knew that the great King of kings was to come and visit the earth and bring salvation to mankind. They KNEW this stuff…but they rejected Jesus when He came.

Why were they Lost?

Jesus told them they would seek but not find Him because they were looking for someone to come as a King and to take control and rule. They expected this King to free them from the domination and rule of the Romans and/or any other dominator that may have been in power. They had their own preconceived ideas and notions as to what the Messiah would be like and Jesus didn’t fit that picture.

What they failed to realise is that Jesus who is the Messiah DID come to set man free from domination and also to bring release from sin. That is the freedom that He gave to all mankind. That is the message of release that He promises to those who seek Him.

But aren’t they seeking Him anyway? Yes they are, but they are seeking the wrong way. They are looking for him to give them power over the earth and to rule mankind like the kings of the earth do. They sought him through pride and arrogance and so they missed him. He will come to rule at his next visitation, but the first time it was to provide release to all who seek him according to the way God wants man to seek the Lord, and to establish His kingdom here and now.

Seeking and Finding

His kingdom is in place now and Jesus set it up so that we can enter into it now. The way that He wants us to seek Him is through faith. The leaders of the Jews thought it could be found through works and did not understand that without faith it is impossible to please God. And that is the primary reason why they would seek but not find Him.

The same applies for us today. If we think we can seek the Lord and receive entry into His kingdom by works rather than faith, then we too will miss out. It is by faith in Jesus Christ alone that we are saved, set free from sin, set free from law and gain entry into the Kingdom of God.

The lost are those who are without faith. Even if they are seeking but have no faith they will be lost. The parable of the five wise and five foolish maidens waiting for the bridegroom can be likened to this (Matthew 25:1-12). The foolish ones lacked the one necessary thing that would have gained them entry into the marriage feast.

In the same way, there is one primary requirement for entry into the Kingdom of God and that one thing is faith. Without faith you cannot find the Lord and though they may seek Him through works or whatever, He will not be found. As it says in Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

If anyone thinks they can be accepted to God’s kingdom on the basis that they built a church or cathedral, gave millions to charities, went out on missions and built schools and so on in third world countries or whatever, without faith and believing in God and the Lord Jesus Christ, they are kidding themselves. Faith is the ONLY way to be accepted by God and it is the ONLY way to find entry into His Kingdom.

So seek faith first. Seek to know the Lord Jesus Christ. Find out about Him and come to Him in prayer in humility and without pretence and then He will be found and He will lead you to the place where He wants you. Follow Him. Above all else seek and follow Him first lest you too be lost.

(Photo sourced from stock.xchng taken by Zsolt Zatrok Dr.)

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John

Hi! I’m John, the owner, author, and editor of this site. Over the past 50+ years as a Christian I have been teaching, preaching and writing about the Bible to help Christians gain a deeper insight into the scriptures that are easily understood. I also answer specific Bible related questions, so feel free to contact me.