The Son!

John 5:²⁴ “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life” (emphasis added).

Jesus says, “those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins…” It is not that these people do not have sins, but Jesus says they will never be condemned for their sins. Why? It is because “they have already passed from death into life”. This scripture reference suggests that what you do does not matter, right? But Jesus says in John 5:^28-29 “Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.” (emphasis added). Is Jesus saying this is salvation purely by works?

Jesus says, once you believe in Him you have been translated from death to life. Yet in the same chapter He says, some will rise to eternal condemnation because of their works and some will rise to eternal life because of their works. What does this mean? This scripture applies hundred percent (100%) to those before Jesus. There was no grace, so it had to be purely by works. For those of us after Jesus, what is the work of God that we have to do? The work that you and I have to do must flow from The Work. So, what is The Work? John 6:^28-29 “Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (emphasis added). Jesus ties it back to believing in Him. When you believe in Jesus, everything you do flows from your faith in Christ Jesus. The source is your spring and the spring determines the stream, the flow, and the taste. Every work you do outside of Jesus is like filthy rags. No matter how good it is, it is going to be disgusting to God.

None can be pure by himself; the good works we do must flow from Christ before it is acceptable to God. The good works we do that do not flow from Christ are not acceptable to God. In the end, there will be two judgments; the eternal judgement and the white throne room judgement. The believer in Christ Jesus will not face judgement and by that, the scripture means the believer in Christ Jesus will not face eternal judgement. The believer in Christ will face the white throne room judgement. Which means that all your works will go through fire. For some, once their work enters fire, it will be consumed. Some people do not even have any work to put inside the fire. For some of us, our work will come out as gold, refined with fire in Jesus Name.

Jesus is above all, superior to all. Please John 5:21-23. There are two things the Rabbinic movement agrees on as far as God’s work is concerned. They agree that God is still judging, and God is still giving life. But God has stopped every other thing. Jesus says to them, I am in charge of that judgement and I am in charge of that life – unbelievable!

Prayer: Father, I affirm my belief in Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, let all that I am and all that I do flow from my faith in Christ Jesus, in Jesus Name. Amen!