Re: Jn 12:42, PISTIS of regeneration?

From: Bob Wilkin (ges@faithalone.org)
Date: Mon Mar 06 2000 - 11:58:03 EST


On 03/04/00, "CEP7@aol.com" wrote:
> In a message dated 3/3/2000 8:33:05 PM, dixonps@juno.com writes:
>
> << POLLOI EPISTEUSAN EIS AUTON, ALLA DIA TOUS FARISAIOUS
> OUC hWMOLOGOUN hINA MH APOSUNAGWGOI GENWNTAI,
> HGAPHSAN GAR THN DOXAN TWN ANQRWPWN MALLON
> HPER THN DOXAN TOU QEOU.
>
> Is this an example of PISTIS of regeneration? They were
> not confessing Him for fear of excommunication, because
> they loved the praise of man rather than the praise of God.
>
> In 5:44 Christ says, PWS DUNASQE hUMEIS PISTEUSAI
> DOXAN PARA ALLNLWN LAMBANONTES, KAI THN DOXAN
> THN PARA TOU MONOU QEOU OU ZHTEITE;
>
> Apparently Christ saw the two propositions as mutually
> exclusive: either they would love the praise of God and
> believe, or they would love the praise of man and not
> believe.
>
> If so, then the PISTIS of 12:42-43 must be a different
> kind than that of 5:44. >>
>
> The question here becomes is their PISTIS temporary or their fear of the
> Pharisees? At the Crucifixion, some these men come out of the closet
> (Nicodemus and Joseph).
>
> Charles Powell
> DTS
> cep7@aol.com

The idea that faith can be temporary is clearly established in life and
Scripture. I voted for George McGovern in 1972. Today I find the crop of
leading Republicans too liberal for my tastes.

Luke 8:13 clearly speaks of those who "believed for a while and in time of
temptation fall away."

Did the rulers mentioned in John 12:42 cease to believe in Christ later?
Possibly. We aren't told, so it is conjecture.

However, what we do know is that they believed in Him. Pisteuw eis auton is
used. And we know, therefore, in light of John 3:16; 5:24; 6:47; 11:25-27
and a host of other verses in John, that they had eternal life.

The suggestion that this must not be faith in Christ, but in some other
object, is unsupported by the context. But what of the comparison with John
5:44?

In 5:44 Christ says, PWS DUNASQE hUMEIS PISTEUSAI
> DOXAN PARA ALLNLWN LAMBANONTES, KAI THN DOXAN
> THN PARA TOU MONOU QEOU OU ZHTEITE;
>
> Apparently Christ saw the two propositions as mutually
> exclusive: either they would love the praise of God and
> believe, or they would love the praise of man and not
> believe.
>
> If so, then the PISTIS of 12:42-43 must be a different
> kind than that of 5:44. >>

There is one major problem with this suggestion: John says they believed.
Unless John was in error, the argument is settled.

John 5:44 does not say, as is being implied, "The one who seeks honor from
other men cannot come to faith in Me." It poses a question. The conclusion
we should draw from the question is that seeking the honor of men does not
put one in a good position to come to faith in Christ. It is like Heb 11:6
in reverse. However, we know that Saul of Tarsus came to faith when he was
seeking the honor of men. So too did the rulers mentioned in John 12:42.
(So did the Philippian jailer in Acts 16, in contrast to Lydia in the same
chapter who was seeking God.) While only a fool would seek the honor of
men, fools do come to faith in Christ in spite of themselves.

Bob Wilkin

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