This scripture has always bothered me. John 8:30-44.
As he spake these words many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be of Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man; how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever; but he Son abideth forever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father; and ye do that which you have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him. Abraham is our father. Jesus unto them If ye were Abraham's children ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God; this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them If God were your father ye would love me; for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech: even because ye cannot hear my words. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father will ye do. He was a murderer from the beginning and aobde not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar and the father of lies.So, what bothers me is there are a group of people who believed in Jesus. But the Bibles tells us....Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved. Then Jesus reveals these people for what they are...the children of the devil. He is not saying He is the devil, but that they misrepresented themselves as those who believed on Him. So....there is something specific which they did not believe which denied them the status of children of God. I think we cannot give God a headfake and hope we get it right. We must know Him. Like Paul said, "Oh that I may know Him and the power of His ressurection." So, we should "Study and show ourselves approved of God, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of Truth."