And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? (John 5:40-47)
I remember often that when I would not listen, always insisting on doing things my way, my dad would always call me a “knot head.” The name “knot head,” is a slang name which means, any person that is unwilling to listen to, learn from and heed the counsel and the wisdom of someone who has gone before them, and foresees the pain, consequences and heartache that lie ahead in the path the person has chosen. A “knot head” is someone who only learns by suffering and or sad experience. I suppose that was a pretty good nickname for me growing up and it was always humorous to me when my dad rightfully referred to me that way. He was right I was a “knot head!"
But in John chapter five we have some “not heads,” who also insisted on learning things the hard way. But their obstinacy is not humorous in any way! All of us once were, or still are, one of these kind of “not heads!” These verses tell us that they will not come to Christ that they might have life. They have not the love of God in them, because they will not come to Christ, which is the only place that God’s love is found. They receive not the Lord who came in His Father’s name and was the only One who could redeem them from the wages of their sin. They not only will not come, and have not God’s love in them, and receive not God’s salvation which is in a person, Christ Jesus, but they seek not the honor that comes from God alone, which is again in the Lord Jesus Christ. These “not heads” insist on doing something to be reconciled to God. They trust in their so called good works (the law), to be saved. But our Lord tells them plainly, if they had really believed Moses they would have believed our Lord, because He is who Moses wrote of. So they wind up not believing on Him in whom Moses wrote.
Unless God divinely intervenes in a sinner’s life, they will not, have not, receive not, seek not and believe not the one and only thing that they must have. Thank God that in mercy and in grace, He overrules “not heads” like me! -- David Eddmenson
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