“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)
According to the Barna Research Group, Americans still believe in Jesus. However, what they believe about Him is changing. (Barna.com, “Five Popular Beliefs About Jesus”)
Barna noted that Americans overwhelmingly believe that Jesus was a real person. Almost nine in ten people believe that Jesus walked this earth some two thousand years ago just like the Bible says.
However, Americans — especially younger generations — are less likely to believe that He is who He claimed to be: God’s own Son. Only 56% of Americans acknowledge this fact.
Yet, this claim was at the core of Jesus’ teaching and ministry. It is an indispensable part of the Gospel.
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30)
“And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me.” (John 12:45)
Belief that Jesus is God’s Son, and therefore divine, is an absolute essential of the Christian faith. You cannot be a Christian if you do not believe that.
Jesus Himself said, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24).
This is non-negotiable.
More troubling, Barna discovered that Americans are divided on whether Jesus lived a sinless life.
Yet another critical doctrine of the Christian faith.
Hebrews 4:15 plainly says,
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
And in 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read,
“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
If Jesus did not live a sinless life, if He succumbed to earthly temptations the same as any of us, then He could not have been the “sin bearer” (1 Peter 2:24) who died on the cross for our sins, taking our place (1 Peter 3:18) and paying the price for our redemption (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Which would mean that our sins have not been forgiven (Ephesians 1:7) and we are lost.
If what I have said thus far isn’t troubling enough, how about this: Barna found that Americans were also conflicted about whether Jesus or good works is the way to heaven.
“What?!”
I know, right.
Here’s what Barna says:
“Many adults believe, however, that they will go to heaven as a result of their good works. Broadly speaking, this is the most common perception among Americans… it is also quite common among self-identified Christians. In this category, people believe they will go to heaven because they have tried to obey the Ten Commandments (5%), as a result of being basically a good person (8%), or on the grounds that God loves all people and will not let them perish (7%).”
(Barna.com, “Five Popular Beliefs About Jesus”)
The whole point of Jesus’ coming to this earth and living a sinless life, dying on a Roman cross, then being raised from the grave was to do the very thing we could not do ourselves: secure our own salvation.
He did so by living a holy and righteous life, one free from sin, in order to earn salvation under the tenets of the Law of Moses (cf. Leviticus 18:4-5). Then, because Jesus was God (Colossians 2:9), He was able to apply the salvation He had obtained to all who will come to Him in obedient faith (John 3:16, Gal. 2:16).
Good deeds are not the path to salvation but rather the response of one who has been saved. We are saved by grace.
In Ephesians 2:8-10, Paul explains this:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, {9} not a result of works, so that no one may boast. {10} For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
While it is good to hear that Americans still believe in Jesus, it’s also concerning that a good number of Americans do not believe that Jesus was God’s Son, that He lived a sinless life or that faith in Him is the only path to salvation.
What many Americans believe about Jesus is no different than what other religions say about Him. That He was a real person. That He was a teacher and had many disciples. That He was a good man who died an unjust death at the hands of the Romans.
That is not enough. We must believe that Jesus was who He said He was: the sinless Son of God come to take away the sins of the world (cf. John 1:29). We must acknowledge, as did Paul, that salvation “is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Hear Him again in His own words:
“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)
This is the gospel. This is the Jesus in whom we must believe.