The Strand Study Bible

JOHN 5:28

JOHN 5:39

1735

The promise of a resurrected body for NT saints (Fulfilled - Rev 4:2)

33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. 34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. 36 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. 37 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. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

1. Fulfilled - Rev 4:2

(NT Resurrection) (See - I Cor 15:51- 54 & I Thess 4:14- 17) 2 . Fulfilled - Rev 20:11-15 (Christ’s White Throne Judgment) 3. or, “condemnation” 4. Psa 40:8

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves 1 shall hear his voice , P The promise of a JUDGMENT DAY to come (Fulfilled - Rev 20:11-15) 29 And 1 shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, 2 unto the resurrection of 3 damnation. P P 30 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 4 Father which hath sent me. 31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

5:29 Sadly, some religious movements have tried to use this Scripture to prove that being “ good ” is what gets you to Heaven. They teach that “ good ” people go to Heaven and, of course, “bad” people go to Hell ( Mt 19:16,17 a,c & 22:1 ). However, if only the “ good ” get to Heaven: 1. How “good” is good? How good does a person have to be to go to Heaven? No one can say because every religion has a different set of rules. 2. How do you know when you’ve been “good” enough? When does a person know when he’s finally tipped the scales in his favor? 3. Whose religious standard of “good” are we to follow? Every religion has a different set of religious “do’s & don’ts.” Who’s “do’s & don’ts” are the correct ones? Rick Warren in The Purpose of Christmas notes:

Salvation is not a matter of trying, but trusting…Religion is man’s attempt to please God. Grace is God reaching down to man. Every religion boils down to one word: “do!” Do our list of things, and you will earn God’s love. Each religion has its own unique list of rules, and if you compare the lists, you discover they are often contradictory. But the big idea behind all religions is that you must work, strive, and put forth great effort in order to get God to like you…While religions are based on the word “do,” salvation is based on the word “done.” 1

4. How did the thief on the cross get into Heaven? He wasn’t “good.” According to his own admission, he was a thief and a criminal (Lk 23:39-43). 5. Why are both the “good” and the “bad” called to salvation? (Mt 22:10) 6. Why did Jesus tell his disciples that it was impossible for “good” men to save themselves? (Mt 19:16-26)

7. Why does the rest of the Bible tell us that we can’t be “good” enough to save ourselves? (Psa 14:2-3, Rom 3:10-12, Eph 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Jn 1:12-13 & 6:28-29, Lev 17:11, Mt 26:28, Acts 20:28, Rom 3:20-25, Gal 2:16,21 & 3:1-3, Eph 1:7 & 2:13, Colo 1:14,20, Heb 9:22,28 & 10:19-20 & 12:24, I Pet 1:2,17, I Jn 1:7 & 2:2 & 4:10, Rev 1:5, Hab 2:4, Rom 1:17 & Gal 3:11, Phil 2:12 , II Pet 2:20- 22 , I Cor 15:2 , I Jn 3:9 and Heb 6:4-6 & 10:26-31 ). NOTE – The only “ good ” God accepts is the “ good ” that CHRIST performed for man on the cross, when He surrendered certain aspects of His eternal authority in order to pay for the eternality of sin ( Rom 1:16 and I Cor 15:28 ). Therefore, “ they that have done good ” are they who have accepted the “ good ” Jeus did for them on the cross as their only means of salvation ( Jn 6:28-29 ). 5:39 Thirty-two of the thirty-nine books in the OT contain prophecies concerning Jesus (the promised OT MESSIAH - Jn 1:41 & 4:25). Only seven of the thirty-nine books do not (Judges, Ruth, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Proverbs, and The Song of Solomon). Although these seven books do not contain prophecies, all seven do contain references concerning CHRIST (Jud 2:1-4 & 5:23 & 6:11-27 & 13:3-22, Ruth 2:12 & 4:11-14, Ezra 1:2 & 3:2 & 6:19 & 8:35, Neh 6:10 & 10:33 & 12:43, Est 10:3, Prov 30:4 and Song of Solomon 1:1). so that every book in the OT points to some aspect of CHRIST’S life and purpose for why He came (Lk 24:27). Search the scriptures !

1 Warren, Rick. The Purpose of Christmas , NY, NY, Howard Books, 2008. Print.