John 7-8
Do you want to know whether Jesus speaks Truth with a capital “T”?
You could study His words intently. (And you should.) You could compare what He says with what is written in the Old Testament. (And you should.) You could learn Hebrew and Aramaic and Koine Greek. (Interesting!) You could delve into Biblical archeology. (Fascinating!) You could learn all about customs and beliefs of the ancient Near East and compare what you learn to what Jesus says. (Informative!) You could learn all sorts of facts about Jesus, His heritage, His geographical environment, His political environment, His religious environment, His friends and family. (Illuminating!) In short, you could become a true Biblical scholar. (Bravo!)
And you could still be missing the key to unlocking true knowledge and understanding.
If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on My own authority.
John 7:17
Volition is that key — specifically, the willingness to do God’s will. In other words, if we truly want to know Truth, we must first surrender to God’s will and choose obedience.
So if you find yourself to be skeptical of Jesus’ claims, if you feel a bit of cynicism creeping in, then ask yourself: Are you willing to do God’s will?
See also: