Thank you for for your post! I have considered that scripture, and for a time I didn't know how to understand it. Especially given that it is often taken to mean something that contradicts other scriptures in the Gospel of John.

The people Jesus is confronting here are religious leaders who do many outward signs of piety and obedience. In their own eyes they consider themselves to be holy and pleasing to God, but they were refusing to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

They could be likened to Orthodox Jews, who may even follow the Law better than some Christians, but do not believe that Jesus is the Christ. (John 8:24 "For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.")

The verse might also apply to fake religious leaders, possibly Pope Francis or Joel Ostein, who do a lot of outward acts in Jesus' name, but might not actually believe in him.

Notice in the verse, they tell Jesus of the works they do in his name. They don't tell Him anything like, - "But I believed that you were the Christ, the saviour of the world!", - "But I believed in your promise of eternal life!", - "But I believed in Your in your death for my sins and Your resurrection for my justification!"

When Jesus is confronted by unbelievers and asked what work God wants them to do, he tells them only to believe in the One God has sent.(John 6:29 "Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”")

Jesus also says that it is God's will that **everyone **who believes in him has eternal life. (John 6:40 "For this is the will of My Father, that **everyone **who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”)