The Historical Background of John 3:29

 As we begin to look at John chapter 3 verse 29 where it says, "The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and is now complete." It is very important to know the historical background of this particular verse under study simply because of the fact that there is so much misunderstanding when it comes to God's Word. There is a lot of biblical ignorance among those who called themselves Christians by which they professed to be saved (Matt. 7:15-24). Professing believers are those who claim to be saved by which they do not know the Lord. They appear to be saints but they are saints in sinner's clothing (Matt. 7:15). Those who are truly saved are those whom God has chosen unto His election of grace (Jn. 6:37, 44). First, Christ is Sovereign Lord over the church by which the Spirit indwells (Eph. 5:25; 1 Cor. 6:19). Christ is the head of the church by which He is the savior of the body. It is good to know that Christ rules within the lives of His people. When it comes to professing Christians they do know the Lord nor is Christ ruler over their lives. It is demonstrated by what they believe in how they live their lives. They despise Christ's rule within their lives. There is an insatiable desire and a joy for God's elect to know God's Word. They look to God's Word as their source of authority in matters of faith and practice. It is not so among many professing Christians who look outside God's Word in order to hear God's voice within their human spirit. According to many Christian mystics, "The human spirit is the candlestick by which they receive such personal spiritual revelations." This is something that is clearly contrary to the truth of scripture. Everything the church needs to know to pertain to life and godliness is within God's Word. The rise of mysticism has in fact reared that of its ugly head by which it has influence the faith and life of the church today. The apostle Paul warns against the dangers of mysticism (Col. 2:18, 19).

There is a necessity to explain God's Word in light of its context (1 Cor. 2:13). In so many words the best interpretation of scripture is scripture itself. It is very unfortunate that many professing Christians make a play of words (e.g. "anointing") by interpreting that there are certain individuals who are anointed by God. The extent to which these self-proclaimed prophets is by the amount of "revelations" they receive "directly" from God. The truly saved are "anointed" by God; not those who are professing Christians. In the second part of John chapter 3:29, it says, "The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him..." The words "waits" and "listens" are critical in understanding these key biblical words. For the truly saved to "waits and listens" to what God's Word says is "to anticipate by hearing the truth of scripture." The Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance of what God's Word says by which the Spirit gives believers understanding of God's Word. Nothing more; nothing less. The Holy Spirit is the Author of scripture by which the Spirit is divine Truth. The Holy Spirit is not going to contradict Himself. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is divine Truth (Jn. 14:26). The truly elect are those who are the recipients of hearing the truth of God's Word by which they are on the side of truth (Jn. 18:37; 1 Jn. 4:6). Those who are professing believers are ignorant of the truth of God's Word by which they seek to hear God's still small voice or to get a revelation within their spirit. They claim by reading and meditating on God's Word is that they await hearing the voice of God by the Holy Spirit giving them some "special" revelations. Such revelatory knowledge is the source of the mystic authority by which they deny the absolute truth of God's Word. The truly saved are joyous in hearing the truth of God's Word. God's Word is the truly elect source of authority (2 Tim. 3:15, 16).

Can you imagine that when it comes to a husband-wife relationship is that over a period of years is that they will begin to become familiar with each other. Even though it is impossible for someone to duplicate either the husband or wife's voice that they are able to recognize it. There are false spiritual leaders who will utilize the language of the Bible as if they are soundly biblical but beneath what they say and how they interpret God's Word is quite contrary to the clear teaching of scripture (Rom. 16:17-18). Also, those who are attendees of the bride and bridegroom wedding they too also are familiar with what they say and how they say it. It is very important for believers to become rooted and grounded in God's Word to know truth from falsehood. The church needs spiritual discernment in an age of apostasy (Ac. 17:11; 1 Jn. 4:1; 1 Tim. 4:1).

The truly elect of God who are predestined, call, and chosen by His election of grace are the recipients of knowing the truth of scripture. We live in an age of relativism where there is no absolute truth. Personal truths, pragmatism, and relativism hold sway within the professing church today (Jn. 18:37). There are many professing Christians who reject the absolute truth of God's Word in place of what is subjectivity (i. e. "voice of God") as opposed to the objectivity of scripture (2 Tim. 4:3-4).