Lesson 2648

(Lesson 2648)(03-24-19) John 5:28-47
    “ Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”

   In today’s quote, comparing Himself to John the baptist and how they had responded to Him, Jesus rebuked the Jews for their ongoing unbelief. He related that He, in doing the work ordained by God the Father, would not be the judge of those who were under the Law, but rather He would be the eternal judge and redeemer for those who would come to believe in Him.
    In the final part of the quote, in essence, Jesus made it clear that those who were not saved under the Law of Moses had already been judged by God the Father and would stand again before Him to be cast into the lake of fire at the final Judgment. That final judgment will be far different from the judgment that will be faced by those who have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus. The only souls who will be present at the final judgment are those who are alreaady lost because they have rejected God’s saving grace through faith in Jesus Christ.~