***John 16:1-3 (NLT) “I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith.
2 For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God.
3 This is because they have never known the Father or Me.”***
Who is Jesus speaking of? He is referring to the religious leadership of His time—the Pharisees and Sadducees—who operated within God’s synagogues, which, in today’s terms, would be equivalent to Christian churches. Sadly, many within Christian leadership today presume they know God. But why do they assume this? we must ask ourselves, ‘Do we truly know Him, and does He truly know us?’
People often find their identity and assurance in their knowledge, positions, and duties. While work and responsibilities are important—meant to reflect the roles assigned or created based on one’s identity—without a deep and intimate relationship with God, faith can become nothing more than a series of obligations. In such cases, our relationship with God can be reduced to what we might call “works of the flesh.”
For example, consider a married couple—a husband and wife—who live in a relationship defined only by their roles, lacking deep love. If you were to ask either spouse if they love the other, their automatic response would likely be “yes.” Yet deep in their hearts, they may long for something more. Despite this yearning, they stay together for the sake of their children, survival, or simply because they don’t know any other way to live. In doing so, they become like the walking dead. Over time, they may seek fulfillment elsewhere—in their careers, wealth, infidelity, solitude, or other idols. A couple may live together for decades and still never truly know each other.
Misery and anger are often indicators of relational distance.
Christians are no different when it comes to their relationship with God. Because life can be difficult, many seek Him primarily for what He can provide—believing that blessings and achievements will affirm their self-worth. We may think we are devoted to God because we are deeply involved in church, diligently working and serving—just as a wife fulfills her household duties. However, just as a woman who marries for financial security rather than love may fulfill her role as a wife without truly knowing her husband, we, too, can serve God out of obligation rather than intimacy.
As Christian leaders, we risk becoming like such a wife—seeking self-worth through service rather than genuine relationship. Tragically, like the Pharisees, we can function as leaders in God’s church while remaining spiritually distant from Him. In the end, this detachment can turn us into spiritual murderers—leading others astray rather than into true communion with God.
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Additional Comments:
Our relationship with our spouse and others may reveal the true reflection of our relationship with the Triune God.
Senior Pastor Steve Kim