Tag: John 5
Escaping death and judgment
Scripture reading for April 11: John 5
““Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My Word and believes Him Who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself. And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”” John 5:24-29
Our world view concerning death and the after-life is determined by many things. We all have eternity in our hearts, given by God. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) We have a conscience that gives us basic knowledge of God’s laws, acting like a stop light inside of our souls. Various religions teach different ideas about the afterlife and judgment and like a consumer, we can pick and choose what we think is best for us. So the prevailing world view is that there are many paths all leading to the same goal–peace and joy in the afterlife. If that is true, there is no need to repent of any belief we currently hold.
Jesus came to proclaim the Good News of eternal life through faith in Himself. He boldly proclaimed the Father’s Word that whoever would hear His Word and believe in the Father Who sent Him, would not come into judgment but have eternal life. They would actually pass from death through God’s wrath under His righteous judgment to eternal life. They would participate in the resurrection of life in that final hour when in their graves, they would hear God’s voice and arise to eternal life. This offer was to ‘whoever’ would hear His voice now and believe in the Father! Those who refused Jesus’ call now would be judged by Him and hear His voice calling them forth from the grave to stand judgment.
Have you heard the voice of the Son of God calling you to repentance and eternal life? When would you prefer to hear the voice of Jesus: Now or at the hour of His judgment? Does it shock you to learn that the One Who offers you salvation through His Word will also be your judge if you don’t listen to Him?
Prayer: Thank You Father, for sending Your Son and giving Him as a sacrifice for our sins. I have heard His voice through God’s Word and believed Him receiving eternal life. I look forward to hearing His voice call me into His eternal kingdom when He comes again. Use me to encourage others to believe. Amen.
Crossing over from death to life!
Scripture reading for April 12th: John 5
Key scriptures for over-comers: John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.”
Salvation is very simple. Religious people like to make it complicated. Jesus reduced the requirements from keeping the over 600 laws to simply hearing His word and believing in the Father who sent Him. According to Jesus, the time for eternal life had already come. Even those who died in faith would hear His voice and live. The person who believes in this manner ‘crossed over’ from the realm of death to the realm of eternal life! There is no other path to receive this gift other than simple faith in God’s word! Humble people surrender to Jesus the Son and believe in God the Father!
Key scriptures for over-comers: Child-like faith opens the eternal Door of the kingdom of heaven! Let’s keep it simple. “When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear Your name, O Lord God Almighty.” (Jeremiah 15:16)
The Father has Life in Himself!
Scripture reading for April 13th: John 5
Jesus was constantly working to do His Father’s will of bringing healing to the broken and forgiveness of sins to those who were bound. Because He even healed on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted Him and sought to kill Him because He called God His Father. In their carnal understanding, He had made Himself equal with God but was only a man. They did not believe He was the Christ!
Jesus tried to help these religious people with understanding of who He was. “For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. Yes to your amazement He will show Him even greater things than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son, does not honor the Father who sent Him.” Jesus stressed that all He did was from the Father. If anyone claimed to Love God the Father, they must honor the Son. If they refused, the Son would judge them!
“For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. And He has given Him the authority to judge because He is the Son of Man.” “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out–those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” (John 5:26-30) The Father and Son have life in Themselves! He who has the Son, has life! (John 3:36, 1st John 5:12)