not by heritage, but by the son
Pastor Frank Park | Founding and Senior Pastor
In Gospel of John 8:31-59, Jesus confronts a group of religious leaders who were absolutely confident in their standing with God.
“We are Abraham’s descendants,” they insisted. “Our father is Abraham.”
In their minds, their spiritual résumé was airtight. They had the right lineage. The right bloodline. The right religious history.
But Jesus says something that must have hit them like a ton of bricks:
“If God were your Father, you would love Me… You belong to your father, the devil.” (John 8:42-44)
Can you imagine hearing that?
These weren’t pagans. They weren’t atheists. They were Bible-quoting, synagogue-attending, law-keeping leaders. Yet Jesus exposes a devastating truth: Spiritual heritage is not the same as spiritual life.
THE DANGER OF BORROWED FAITH
The Pharisees were banking on their pedigree. They assumed that because Abraham was their ancestor, God automatically approved of them. But Jesus shifts the standard.
True children of Abraham don’t just share his bloodline, they share his faith. They believe God. They receive the One God sent.
Today, “Our father is Abraham” can sound like:
Those things are blessings. They matter. But they do not save. You cannot inherit salvation like a family heirloom. You cannot borrow righteousness from your parents. You cannot coast into heaven on your church attendance. God doesn’t have grandchildren, He only has children.
WHO IS YOUR FATHER?
Jesus makes a bold claim in this passage: You resemble your father.
The Pharisees rejected Jesus, resisted truth, and clung to pride. And Jesus says that reveals something deeper about their spiritual condition. The issue wasn’t genealogy. The issue was allegiance.
And the dividing line was simple: What do you do with Jesus?
In verse 36 He says, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Freedom does not come from Abraham.
Freedom does not come from heritage.
Freedom comes from the Son.
THE CROSS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Our standing with God is not based on:
It is based on the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The Pharisees trusted their lineage. We are tempted to trust our background. But salvation is not transmitted by bloodline. It is secured by blood - His blood.
The cross levels the ground at the foot of Calvary. The pastor’s kid and the prodigal. The church elder and the skeptic. All must come the same way: Through repentance. Through faith. Through Jesus alone.
A JARRING GRACE
It must have been shocking for them to hear, “Your father is the devil.” But sometimes grace sounds jarring before it becomes freeing. Jesus wasn’t trying to insult them. He was trying to awaken them. And He does the same for us. Maybe you grew up around faith, but never personally surrendered to Christ. Maybe you’ve leaned on proximity to Christianity instead of personal faith in Christ. The invitation is still open.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58)
Jesus declares Himself to be God in the flesh. The eternal I AM. And that same I AM went to the cross so that children of wrath could become children of God.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
“We are Abraham’s descendants,” they insisted. “Our father is Abraham.”
In their minds, their spiritual résumé was airtight. They had the right lineage. The right bloodline. The right religious history.
But Jesus says something that must have hit them like a ton of bricks:
“If God were your Father, you would love Me… You belong to your father, the devil.” (John 8:42-44)
Can you imagine hearing that?
These weren’t pagans. They weren’t atheists. They were Bible-quoting, synagogue-attending, law-keeping leaders. Yet Jesus exposes a devastating truth: Spiritual heritage is not the same as spiritual life.
THE DANGER OF BORROWED FAITH
The Pharisees were banking on their pedigree. They assumed that because Abraham was their ancestor, God automatically approved of them. But Jesus shifts the standard.
True children of Abraham don’t just share his bloodline, they share his faith. They believe God. They receive the One God sent.
Today, “Our father is Abraham” can sound like:
- “My dad was a pastor.”
- “I grew up in a Christian home.”
- “I was baptized as a baby.”
- “I was confirmed at 13.”
- “I’ve always gone to church.”
Those things are blessings. They matter. But they do not save. You cannot inherit salvation like a family heirloom. You cannot borrow righteousness from your parents. You cannot coast into heaven on your church attendance. God doesn’t have grandchildren, He only has children.
WHO IS YOUR FATHER?
Jesus makes a bold claim in this passage: You resemble your father.
The Pharisees rejected Jesus, resisted truth, and clung to pride. And Jesus says that reveals something deeper about their spiritual condition. The issue wasn’t genealogy. The issue was allegiance.
And the dividing line was simple: What do you do with Jesus?
In verse 36 He says, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Freedom does not come from Abraham.
Freedom does not come from heritage.
Freedom comes from the Son.
THE CROSS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Our standing with God is not based on:
- Our last name
- Our upbringing
- Our religious milestones
- Our ministry pedigree
It is based on the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The Pharisees trusted their lineage. We are tempted to trust our background. But salvation is not transmitted by bloodline. It is secured by blood - His blood.
The cross levels the ground at the foot of Calvary. The pastor’s kid and the prodigal. The church elder and the skeptic. All must come the same way: Through repentance. Through faith. Through Jesus alone.
A JARRING GRACE
It must have been shocking for them to hear, “Your father is the devil.” But sometimes grace sounds jarring before it becomes freeing. Jesus wasn’t trying to insult them. He was trying to awaken them. And He does the same for us. Maybe you grew up around faith, but never personally surrendered to Christ. Maybe you’ve leaned on proximity to Christianity instead of personal faith in Christ. The invitation is still open.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58)
Jesus declares Himself to be God in the flesh. The eternal I AM. And that same I AM went to the cross so that children of wrath could become children of God.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Am I trusting in my spiritual background more than in Christ Himself?
- Have I personally surrendered to Jesus, or am I borrowing faith from someone else?
- If someone looked at my life, would they see evidence that I belong to the Son?