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THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
on th e cross to accept Him and go w ith Him th a t day to th e Paradise of God. Now no man has ever assumed to possess th e authority th a t Jesus pro fesses to have. He has said in v. 20 th a t He will do g reater works than healing the body, and now He says He will im part life to dead souls. The F ath e r will receive no honor from any man who denies the Son. Our Lord has here hedged the way so th a t it must be Jesus Christ as God m anifest in the flesh or it must be a closed door to heaven. The dead shall hear His Voice when He calls, and they th a t h ear shall live w ith Him through etern ity (John 5 :2 5 ). The powers and resources of life are in Him, v. 26. (3 ) THE ARBITER TO IMPOSE JUDGMENT, vs. 27-31. He claims A uthority in Judgm ent, v. 27. The whole discourse, remember, tu rn ed upon a question of authority. A judge claims the rig h t and privilege of judgment. There are four points essential to justice: (1) The power of the judge. This must be unquestioned. (2) The approval of th e good and the rejection of evil. (JS ) The rew ard of good and the punishm ent of evil. (4) A judgm ent seat, a place for the judge to sit, where culprits may be brought before him. All this, Jesus says, God has su r rendered to His Son. Judgm ent is not, then, th e province of God th e F ath er nor of the Holy Spirit (Ezek. 18:30; Heb. 10:30-31; Dan. 7 :13 ; Matt. 28: 18) “ A n d J e su s c a m e a n d spake nn t sa y in g , All po w er I s g iv e n nn to h eav en a n d I n ea rth .” Jesus was appointed Judge. He was arrested and unjustly condemned and put to death for sinners. He was the humblest of men and is, therefore, well qualified to be a Judge. God the man is to be the Judge. He was here as a
All things are impossible of compre hension to the finite mind, bu t all things are possible w ith Him. (John 2:25)
“ A n d n ee d ed not t h a t any sh o u ld t e s t i f y of m a n ) for he knew w ha t w a s I n m a n .” (John 6:64) (2 ) THE AUTHORITY TO IM PART ETERNAL LIFE. vs. 21-26.
He claims Oneness in Prerogative, v. 21. “The Son quickeneth whom He w ill.” “All power is given unto H im .” (John 11:25)
“ Jesus sa id n nt o h e r . 1 a m th e re s u rr ec t io n a n d t h e l i fe ? h e t h a t be lie ve th I n m e , though he we re d e a d , y e t sh a ll he liv e .” , None but God can give life. (John 17:2) He claims also Oneness in Authority, v. 22. All judgm ent is comm itted to Him, (Acts 10:42) “ A n d he c o m m a n d e d ns t o p r e a c h u n to th e p eo p l e, a n d t o t e s t i f y t h a t I t I s h e which w a s o r d a i n e d o f G o d to be th e Jud ge o f qu ick a n d d e a d .” (2 Cor. 5:10 and Rom. 2:16) He claimed Deity,, v. 24. This is one of the outstanding proofs of His Deity and of the assurances of th e believer. "T ruly, truly, I say unto you (the sinner) if you h ear MY words and believe th a t my F ath e r h ath sent me, I give unto you etern al life and you shall never come into judgm ent for sin, for you will, when you accept me as your substitute, pass out of death into life.” This is a sp iritual life, an eternal life, th e gift of God, (Rom. 6 :23) “ For th e w a g e s o f si n I s dea th ; b u t the g i f t o f G o d I s e te rn al l i f e through Jesus C h r i s t o u r I ,o r d .”
The eternal life is manifested by th e indwelling Holy Spirit, who comes a t once when we have accepted Christ as our Saviour, and indwells us, sealing us unto th e day of .redemption, (Eph. 4 :3 0 ). He will never leave us. (Heb. 13 :5 ). How long does it tak e the sinner to secure eternal life? J u st long enough to say, “I will, I do tak e Him to be my Saviour and will confess Him as my Lord.” J u st as long as it took the th ief
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