🕊️ PRAY HERE Devotion 🕊️ Why Jesus Called These Religious Leaders Children of the Devil – Part 2

Scripture: John 8:43–47

“Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word… You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires…”

Devotion: Have you ever known someone who thought they were right… but they were really wrong?

Maybe you can even recall a time when you were wrong and thought you were right.

That can be a humbling feeling.

The Pharisees thought they were telling the truth.

The reason they did not believe Jesus is because everything about Him challenged their traditions.

They were not willing to accept, believe, and come out of their old ways. They were committed to their beliefs and to what they had always done.

Their belief was that being descendants of Abraham was enough.

So when Jesus told them they were slaves to sin and that they needed a Savior, they were highly offended.

It was basically like:

“You mean to tell me I’m not saved? I’m a descendant of Abraham! How dare you?”

And honestly… the world today is not much different.

People are just as spiritually blind to truth as the Pharisees were.

We have spiritual leaders not telling the whole truth and watering down the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We have people so stuck in tradition that they cannot follow God’s true Word because it challenges what they have always believed.

And here is where it gets serious.

In verse 44, Jesus told them they were of their father; the devil.

Why?

Because the devil is the father of lies.

If you are not speaking the full truth of God, whether you realize it or not, you are lying to people.

I am not trying to offend. I am trying to share the Word of God that opens blind eyes and promotes true salvation.

Jesus said, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.”

That is strong.

Looking at their behavior and what they were teaching, Jesus was saying these spiritual leaders were acting like their father.

Whewww.

That should make every preacher, teacher, pastor, and leader stop and examine themselves.

Because sounding spiritual is not the same as being truthful.

We have to trust and follow Christ no matter what we are used to.

We cannot be so full of ourselves that we are closed off to the parts of God’s Word that are uncomfortable, hard to believe, or difficult to understand.

Especially the parts that confront what we have been practicing for years.

If what you are doing or teaching does not line up with the Word of God, without twisting scripture to make it fit what you want it to mean, then unfortunately… you are wrong.

And here is the beauty in discovering that:

You now have the opportunity to get it right.

That is grace.

That is mercy.

God does not expose error just to embarrass us; He does it to save us.

So today, be humble enough to ask:

“Lord, have I believed a lie?”

“Have I been holding on to tradition over truth?”

“Have I been rejecting correction because it challenged my comfort?”

Because truth saves.

And truth is always worth choosing.

We are on this road together.

God bless you!

Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your truth and for loving me enough to correct me when I am wrong. Lord, forgive me for the times I have held on to tradition, pride, or my own understanding instead of fully surrendering to Your Word. Open my eyes to anything in my life that does not line up with You. Help me to be humble enough to receive correction and bold enough to walk in truth. I do not want to be spiritually blind or misled. I want to know You, hear You, and follow You fully. Let Your truth set me free and help me lead others to real salvation.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.