Jesus: The Only Hope After Death
John 8:21–30
Those who remain in darkness are destined to die in their sin, separated from God forever, and confined to this world alone; the only escape is to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the sent Son who alone gives eternal life.
Outline
- Destined to die in their sin
- Separated from God forever
- Confined to this world alone
- The “unless” of belief in Jesus
- Contrast with those who are “in Christ”
- Conclusion on Jesus’ authority and invitation
Themes: Only Hope After Death · Die in Your Sin · Separation from God · Of This World · In Christ · Eternal Life · Messiah · Spiritual Death
Key Cross-References: John 8:21-30, Ephesians 2:1-3, Romans 5:12, Romans 3:9-12, 23, Psalm 51:5, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Colossians 1:21-22, Hebrews 9:8, Genesis 8:21, 1 John 1:5-6, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Matthew 13:49-50, Revelation 20:11-15, Isaiah 55:6-7, Acts 4:12, John 14:6, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Romans 8:5-8, 1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4, Romans 12:2, Colossians 3:1, John 4:25-26, John 17:1-3, 14-21
MANUSCRIPT
In our last few messages in the Gospel of John, we have examined the themes of darkness and light. Two weeks ago, we began by examining the creation account in Genesis, where we saw the world initially formless and void, enveloped in darkness until God brought forth light. This act of dispelling darkness laid the foundation for the metaphorical uses of light and darkness throughout Scripture. Darkness came to symbolize disorder, sin, and evil, while light represented order, holiness, and God's presence.
We learned that in his natural state, mankind is in darkness, loves darkness, and spreads darkness. This darkness is not just physical but spiritual and moral. It permeates human societies, leading them to destroy what God has created, bring disorder to what He has ordered, and deflect glory from God to themselves. Despite this pervasive darkness and man's love for it, we also saw God's mercy. Instead of pouring out ultimate judgment, God promised to bring light into the darkness so that all who believe might be transferred from the domain of darkness into His glorious light. This promise was fulfilled in Jesus, who declared:
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).
Last week, we turned our attention to the judgment that comes from those who remain in spiritual darkness. We examined how people who reject the light, remaining in their sinful state, often make spiritual judgments from the shadows. The Pharisees in Jesus' day served as primary examples of this, judging Jesus from their darkened hearts, misinterpreting and misapplying the Scriptures, and making superficial judgments based on human wisdom rather than divine truth. We noted that this pattern of flawed judgment is not confined to the first century but continues today. From the time of Jesus' birth until now, people lost in their sin, alienated from God, and devoid of the Spirit have continued to pass judgment on Jesus, motivated by corrupt intentions and arriving at fundamentally flawed conclusions.
Today, as we look at John 8:21-30, we are simply going to ask and answer the question, what happens when someone who remains in darkness, dies?
John 8:21-30 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” 25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” 27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
As we work toward our answer to the question, “What happens when someone who remains in darkness dies?,” we need to consider what Jesus says about such people in our text.
Before we do that, let me clarify that there may be some here this morning we fall into this category. There are likely, almost certainly, individuals here this morning who remain in darkness. The warnings we are about to see from the lips of Jesus apply directly to you. In saying this I don’t at all intended to come across as superior or judgmental, but as offering a compassionate warning.
Listen closely because you will not only learn the consequences of remaining in darkness until death, but will learn how to avoid those consequences.
First of all, Jesus says in our text that:
1. Those in Darkness are Destined to Die in Their Sin
John 8:21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
Jesus says to the unbelieving Jews that the time is coming when they will die in their sins. What does this mean? It means that if all things remain the same in their lives, they will die as they were born – alienated from God, and slaves to sin.
The nature of mankind is such that we are all born “in sin.”
Ephesians 2:1-3 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Human nature, by default, is one of spiritual death which manifests itself in a life of sin and disobedience toward God.
Ironically, some who think they are living life to the fullest are actually living out their spiritual deadness. Paul says that following the course of this world, adopting the spirit of this world, living to fulfill our own passions, is actually the lifestyle of the spiritually dead. We will say more about this later. Suffice it to say now, everyone born into this world is born dead in their sin.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
There is no distinction. Everyone is a sinner by nature and everyone is subject to the consequences of that sin.
Romans 3:9-12 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
This is not to say that no one ever does anything that is morally good, but that he is incapable, and unwilling to do anything of any spiritual good.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
None in their natural state live for the glory of God. None meet his righteous standard. All fall short of his glory. And this is true from the moment of conception.
So then, with David we should confess:
Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
And with his son, Solmon recognize:
Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Mankind is sinful and rebellious against God by nature. This is a state which cannot be escaped nor can it be reversed by human effort. This is why Paul described it as being “dead in trespasses and sins.” No dead man can come to life by his own volition. No dead man boasts about being less dead than the guy buried next to him. No dead person can claim to have some special reserve of life inside of him. No. Dead is dead.
The biblical testimony is that mankind is spiritually dead by nature and has no capacity to rectify this situation in his own power.
In our passage, Jesus describes this condition as being “in sin.”
John 8:21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
Here Jesus is issuing a serious warning. The greatest tragedy that could ever come upon a person is that they reach the end of their life while still spiritually dead. It is one thing to live in sin, and to suffer all the natural and spiritual consequences of living in sin, but to die while still in that sin is eternally devastating. Yet, that is the destiny of everyone who does not place their faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, sent by the Father as the only source of spiritual light and life.
Next, we see from Jesus why to die while in darkness, or while remaining “in sin” is eternally devastating. He indicates that:
2. Those in Darkness are Separated from God Forever
John 8:21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
Mankind’s innate sinfulness has left him separated from God. We see this effect of sin in the Garden. Adam who walked with God in intimate communion was banished from his presence after sinfully disobeying God and suffering spiritual death. Likewise, every descendant of Adam finds themselves in the same condition.
The Bible variously describes man as: alienated from and hostile toward God (Col 1:21-22; Rom 8:7); at enmity with God (Rom 5:10; Jas 4:4); and separated from Christ (Eph 2:12);
The entire sacrificial system of the Old Testament was meant to illustrate this. The sacrifices, the washings, the walls and veil of the tabernacle and temple were all designed to remind man that he did not have ready access to God. His sin had separated him from God.
The writer of Hebrews says of the design of the tabernacle:
Hebrews 9:8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing
It was only by the mercy of God that he allowed human history to continue in anticipation of the salvation he would eventually provide. He said after the flood:
Genesis 8:21 …“I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.
The fact is, mankind, in the darkness of his natural sin, is unfit to be in the presence of God.
1 John 1:5-6 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
So, Jesus says to the Jews, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” Where was he going? According to his prayer in John 17:13, he was going to be with the Father. A host of other texts indicate that after having accomplished salvation on the cross, he has sat down at the right hand of the father on high (i.e., 1 Pet 3:22).
Jesus says to the Jews, I’m going to die and rise and go into the presence of the Father, and you can’t come. Why? Because you are in your sins, and you will die in your sins. Those who are “in sin” are separated from God while they live, and will be eternally separated from God in death.
If those who are in darkness, that is “in sin” cannot go to be where God is when they die, where do they go?
Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica regarding those who are an enmity with God:
2 Thessalonians 1:9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
Mercy has been extended by God to sinners for thousands of years, but this mercy is not to be presumed upon. In God’s infinite wisdom he has a timeline by which he will carry out his plans. The day is coming when the time for mercy has ended and those who remain in their sins will face eternal consequences. Jesus said after telling a parable about the end of the world:
Matthew 13:49-50 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
John saw a vision of this which he chronicled in Revelation 20:
Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
God’s offer of mercy is universal, but it is not eternal. That is, although the mercy is eternal, the offer of it is not. The day is coming when it will be too late for those who are in their sin to be saved. For some this means the return of Christ. For others, it means the end of their natural life – and for many of us that is much closer than we might think.
Once death or judgment have arrived, the opportunity to embrace mercy has passed. This is why Isaiah speaks with urgency when he says:
Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to Yahweh, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Look again at what Jesus says in our passage in John 8:
John 8:21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
This is remarkable. Jesus is saying that after he has died and rose again, having gone to the Father, then they will continue seeking the Messiah. Will they find him? Of course not. There is no Messiah other than Jesus. There is no source of salvation outside of Christ. Peter said:
Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
The idea that one can reject Jesus and then seek salvation somewhere else is folly. For all their seeking, they will still die in their sin. They will seek salvation but find that they cannot enter the presence of God. Instead, they will be eternally separated from him.
Bavinck says of sin and its consequences:
Sin by its very nature produces separation from God and thus carries with it darkness, ignorance, error, deception, fear, disquietude, a sense of guilt, regret, misery, and enslavement. - Bavinck
And what we find here is that these temporal consequences give way to eternal consequences for those who die while still in their sin.
So, Jesus says that those who are in darkness are destined to die in their sin and that this is eternally devastating because those in darkness are separated from God forever.
Next, Jesus indicates that:
3. Those in Darkness are Confined to this World Alone
First of all, look at verse 22:
John 8:22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
They don’t understand what he’s talking about, and there is some deep irony in their response. It’s as if to say, “if he enters the realm of death, we who are alive can’t follow him there.” In reality, they were already in the realm of spiritual death, and could not follow him into eternal life.”
Then Jesus responds in verse 23:
John 8:23 …“You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
They were not thinking spiritually, or eternally. They were interpreting everything Jesus was saying through the lens of their earth-bound, and flesh-constrained minds.
1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
What does it mean that (according to Jesus in verse 23) they were “of this world?”
It means that their thoughts, perspectives, and attitudes were entirely in line with the thinking of the world, and not at all pleasing to God. Their philosophies, values and priorities were worldly, and not godly. They had no genuine spiritual interest or insight. They were not heavenly minded, but earthly minded. They were not spiritual, but fleshly.
Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome:
Romans 8:5-8 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
To be “of this world” is to be like the world in matters of character, nature, and thinking, all the while being spiritually dead and separated from God. They were only fleshly, only worldly, and not at all spiritual. They loved the world system and did not love God.
Do you know what John would later write about those who love the world?
1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
And James wrote:
James 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Do you know what a sign of spiritual deadness is? A love for the world.
Agreeing with the world’s philosophies regarding life and truth.
Adopting the world’s priorities of financial success and earthly esteem.
Assuming the world’s attitudes of pride, selfishness, and the celebration of sin.
Accepting the world’s values of materialism, and relativism.
Enjoying the world’s pleasures, aimed at fomenting our lusts.
Those who are “in darkness,” and “in sin,” according to Jesus, are also “of this world.” There is nothing for them beyond death but eternal suffering, and nothing at all for them beyond this world. They’ve chosen to love the world, so the world is all they will get.
On the other hand, someone who is spiritually alive, does not love the world or the things of the world, but loves the things of God.
Paul wrote to the Romans:
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
I wonder this morning, as a Christian, have you fallen prey to being influenced by the world? Do you find yourself:
Agreeing with the world’s philosophies regarding life and truth.
Adopting the world’s priorities of financial success and earthly esteem.
Assuming the world’s attitudes of pride, selfishness, and the celebration of sin.
Accepting the world’s values of materialism, and relativism.
Enjoying the world’s pleasures, which are aimed at enflaming your lusts.
Well, with Paul to the Colossians, I encourage you:
Colossians 3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Ensure your thought life, work life, home life, and social life reflect spiritual priorities and are therefore distinct from this world. Why? Because a sure sign of spiritual death, and a mark of one who will ultimately die in their sin, is a camaraderie with the world.
So, Jesus said:
John 8:23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
He’s saying, there’s a fundamental distinction between you and I. I am of heavenly origin, and you are only earthly. You are thoroughly assimilated into the world system, and I am completely outside of it. I bring eternal life to the world, to return to the presence of God, you are destined for eternal death and live lives confined only to this world.
SUMMARY AND TRANSITION
Now, we’ve painted a pretty bleak picture so far. We’ve seen that Jesus said that those who are in darkness are destined to die in their sin and that this is eternally devastating because those in darkness are separated from God forever, and as far as this life they are confined to this world alone. So, the question arises – can those who are destined to die in their sin escape the natural consequences of their sin?
The answer is yes. Look at verse 24:
John 8:24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
We are thankful for the unless in verse 24. In it we learn that there is a way of escape. What is it? Jesus says, “believe that I am he.”
What does this mean? We find a clear answer back in John 4 where Jesus sat to talk with a Samaritan woman at a well:
John 4:25-26 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
Who is “he?” “He” is the Messiah. He is the servant of the Lord, God’s only Son, sent from the Father as the only source of eternal life. When one believes that Jesus has come from God, speaking the words of God, with the authority of God, doing the works of God, in the power of God, accomplishing a salvation designed by God, that person is delivered from sin, and placed in Christ.
Faith in Jesus means that one is no longer destined to die in their sin, but to inherit eternal life. They are no longer spiritually dead, but are made spiritually alive. They are no longer “in sin” but are “in Christ.”
Whereas those “in sin” are spiritually dead, facing condemnation, under the dominion of sin and destined for wrath, those who are “in Christ” are spiritually alive, reconciled to God, freed from the slavery of sin, and delivered from the wrath to come.
To show you how complete this deliverance from sin to salvation, from spiritual death to spiritual life is, turn to John 17.
Remember we said that those who are spiritually dead are DESTINED TO DIE IN THEIR SIN? Well look at what Jesus prays to his Father regarding those who believe in him:
John 17:1-3 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Those who believe in Jesus are moved from being destined to eternal death, to being destined to eternal life.
Remember we said that those who are in darkness are SEPARATED FROM GOD FOREVER?
John 17:20-21 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Those who believe in Jesus are no longer separated from the Father, but Jesus prays that just as the Father is in him, and he is in the Father, that all who believe in him might also be in both he and the Father. That is, that they might be reconciled to the Father and share in his divine nature.
Remember we said that those who are destined to die in their sin are CONFINED TO THIS WORLD ALONE?
John 17:14-19 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
Whereas Jesus used his heavenly and spiritual nature to draw a distinction between him and the unbelieving Jews in John 8, here is says that those who believe in him share his nature. They are not of the world, just as he is not of the world.
If you have believed in Jesus and are therefore “in Christ” and no longer “in your sin,” you have received forgiveness of sin (Eph 1:7), reconciliation with God (2 Cor 5:18-19), and eternal life (John 3:16). You have been made spiritually alive, granted a new spiritual nature, and have become destined to a spiritual inheritance.
Now, in conclusion, let’s return to our text where we will see with what authority Jesus has made these claims:
CONCLUSION
John 8:25-29 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” 27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.
28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”
Jesus said back in verse 19, that they did not know the Father. Here he states that everything he says and does comes directly from the Father. He speaks as the Father tells him. He operates with authority which the Father gave him. He only does the things which please the Father. And the Father is always with him.
This is incredibly significant and encouraging considering the context of these statements. Jesus has just said that those who believe in him will not die in their sins. He wants us to know that this promise comes with the authority of God. This is exactly the message which God the Father wanted Jesus to share. The Father is pleased when Jesus tells sinners that they can be delivered from their sin and thereby look forward to eternal life.
This morning we’ve learned that, if you do not put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah (the sent Son of God and the source of eternal life), you will die just as you were born – still captive to your sins. You will face the natural and eternal consequences of being “in sin”. But if you do believe in Him, the benefits of His death are applied to you, so that you are no longer "in sin" but "in Christ."
So, here’s the question this morning: Are you in Christ, or are you in your sin?
That’s not a question to be answered on the basis of feelings. It’s a question to be answered on the basis of the authority of the word of God. It’s a question to be answered in light of the words of Jesus, and the authority of the Father.
Are you in Christ, or are you in your sin?
Have you believed that Jesus Christ is the sent Son, come from the Father as the only source of eternal life? Have you placed your faith in him? Has there been any evidence of that faith in your life?
Jesus stated plainly that those who belong to him are no longer like the world. Instead they share his divine nature. They do not love the world, neither are they becoming more like it. Instead, they love Jesus, and are becoming more and more like him.
Are you in Christ, or are you in your sin?
If you are in Christ there will be wonderful evidence of spiritual transformation in this life, and a awesome spiritual inheritance awaiting you in the next.
Let’s end on this encouraging note in verse 30:
John 8:30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
Will you be one who believes in him this morning?
