Will We Believe His Words of Life?

John 5:24-47

Life and Judgment Are Through the Son

24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. 30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

The Fourfold Witness

31 "If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. 33 You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

41 "I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

Jesus made it perfectly clear that to believe in and receive Him according to His words (which we call the gospel of the kingdom of God) will result in release from the judgment we are all due (Romans 3:23, 6:23) and eternal life in place of eternal death and torment.  When we are led by Him as called and chosen (Matthew 20:16, 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 17:14) to believe His word and receive Him for who He is (John 5:24), we move from already dead in spirit (Ephesians 2:1, 5) to being truly alive (Colossians 2:13) in Christ.  He forgives our sin and the justice of its consequences to make us new creations (Galatians 2:20) as reborn men and women!  We then die in these bodies but will arise in new and incorruptible heavenly ones because we have heard and will then also hear the voice of the Master and truly live.  What a certain hope according to His promise (Galatians 3:22) that results in His Spirit sealing us (Ephesians 1:13) forever as God’s only own children!  We can trust in this absolute and unshakable hope of the kingdom (Hebrews 12:27-28) we have been brought into by the authority and life of the Son of God given to Him by the Father.  Yes, everyone will one day hear His voice from the grave and rise to either eternal life with Him or everlasting torment apart from Him based on our being in Christ or not.  Doing good to inherit this kingdom means hearing and heeding His voice in the gospel (John 6:29) for unmerited deliverance from judgment, while doing evil means rejecting the Son of God and His gospel (John 5:24).  Evidence of this change is a new heart to do all God says (Jeremiah 31:33-34, 2 Corinthians 3:3, Hebrews 10:16-17) and love for others (1 John 3:14), both those who love us and our enemies set against us.  The judgment of Jesus Christ is completely right and righteous and we find our righteousness in Him alone, never in our own efforts apart from His work for and in us (Philippians 1:6) which He never stops working until we are as we should be in eternity.  Jesus told us that His witness of these things is true and reliable.  He was testified to by John the Baptist but more importantly by God the Father Himself according to His word from the beginning (Luke 24:26-27, Acts 17:2-3, 1 John 1:1-2).  The works Jesus has done in word and deed leading to the cross and out of the grave all bear this witness to His power and authority to give life and eternal hope in peace with God, reconciled.  If we search the scriptures from beginning to end we will see this to be true and turn from sin to Him in repentance and faith.  Unfortunately, many will continue to reject Him and not receive this eternal life in acceptance and belief in Him.  He told us these things.  Many will honor themselves or another instead of Jesus and suffer the consequences which they are already condemned under (John 3:19-20).  How can we believe if we seek our own honor and glory in place of Him and His?  We stand accused and guilty apart from the reconciling atoning work of the Son of God for us in our place of judgment.  Who do we trust?  We should rather trust His word according to the writings given us already and choose to live instead of choosing the wide path (Matthew 7:13-14) to destruction.  Will we believe His words of life?  That is the most important question for us all.