The Purpose from John 5:29b

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/13/2016 9:08 PM

My Worship Time                                                                                            Focus:  The Purpose

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                        Reference:  John 5:29b   

Message of the verses:  “those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”

Last year when we studied the book of Revelation we learned about both of the judgments that Jesus is talking about in this verse.  We learned that all the believers at the end of the Tribulation period would end up in heaven or as Revelation speaks of it the new heaven and the new earth.  We also learned about the Great White Throne Judgment where no one but unbelievers will be there and after that judgment all of the unbelievers will be cast into hell.  Now just as in heaven there will be different degrees of hell, and in heaven at the judgment seat of Christ believers will receive rewards for what they did on earth during their lives, but we also learned that there will come a point when all the rewards, (crowns) will be thrown down at the feet of Jesus Christ, for if not for Him no one would be there.

Now I have to mention that verse 29 is not teaching us that salvation comes to us by works.  MacArthur writes “Throughout His ministry, Jesus clearly taught that salvation ‘is the work of God, that [people] believe in Him whom He has sent’ (6:29; cf. Isa. 64:6; Rom. 4:2-4; 9:11; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5 ). Good works are simply the evidence of salvation; Jesus called them ‘fruit’ in Luke 6:43- 45.  Those who believe in the Son will as a result do ‘good deeds’ (3:21; Eph. 2:10; James 2:14-20), while those who reject the Son will be characterized by ‘evil deeds’ (3:18-19).”

Works do not save as we have learned, but works are the basis for divine judgment.  MacArthur adds “Scripture teaches that God judges people based on their deeds (Ps. 62:12; Isa. 3:10-11; Jer. 17:10; 32:19; Matt. 16:27; Gal. 6:7-9; Rev. 20:12; 22:12), because those deeds manifest the condition of the heart.”  We now want to look at what Paul wrote in Romans 2:6-10 “[God] WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”  MacArthur adds “A few chapters later, Paul made it clear that those who attain to the resurrection of the righteous do not do so by their own merits, but by means of their union with Jesus Christ through faith.”  Next we want to look at Romans 6:3-5 “3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,”

Paul spent a whole chapter in the book of 1 Corinthians explaining about the resurrection, and the doctrine of resurrection is one of the most important doctrines found in all of Scripture and it cannot be overstated for without it, there is no Christian faith.  Paul, as stated writes from the 15^th chapter of 1 Corinthians writes “16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”

Studying the doctrine of the Resurrection is most important, and if one attends a church and they do not teach or believe in the resurrection as we have been looking at it then they are not teaching from the Word of God in the right way.  Sadly there are many churches today that do not believe in the resurrection, and so as mentioned stay away from those.  For as we have learned from Paul’s writing if there is no resurrection coming then we are to be most pitied.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “In tabernacles or tents” (Hebrews 11:9).

Today’s Bible question:  “Who was the scribe that came back to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity?”

Answer in our next SD.

3/13/2016 9:37 PM

       

 

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/13/2016 9:08 PM

My Worship Time                                                                                            Focus:  The Purpose

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                        Reference:  John 5:29b   

Message of the verses:  “those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”

Last year when we studied the book of Revelation we learned about both of the judgments that Jesus is talking about in this verse.  We learned that all the believers at the end of the Tribulation period would end up in heaven or as Revelation speaks of it the new heaven and the new earth.  We also learned about the Great White Throne Judgment where no one but unbelievers will be there and after that judgment all of the unbelievers will be cast into hell.  Now just as in heaven there will be different degrees of hell, and in heaven at the judgment seat of Christ believers will receive rewards for what they did on earth during their lives, but we also learned that there will come a point when all the rewards, (crowns) will be thrown down at the feet of Jesus Christ, for if not for Him no one would be there.

Now I have to mention that verse 29 is not teaching us that salvation comes to us by works.  MacArthur writes “Throughout His ministry, Jesus clearly taught that salvation ‘is the work of God, that [people] believe in Him whom He has sent’ (6:29; cf. Isa. 64:6; Rom. 4:2-4; 9:11; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5 ). Good works are simply the evidence of salvation; Jesus called them ‘fruit’ in Luke 6:43- 45.  Those who believe in the Son will as a result do ‘good deeds’ (3:21; Eph. 2:10; James 2:14-20), while those who reject the Son will be characterized by ‘evil deeds’ (3:18-19).”

Works do not save as we have learned, but works are the basis for divine judgment.  MacArthur adds “Scripture teaches that God judges people based on their deeds (Ps. 62:12; Isa. 3:10-11; Jer. 17:10; 32:19; Matt. 16:27; Gal. 6:7-9; Rev. 20:12; 22:12), because those deeds manifest the condition of the heart.”  We now want to look at what Paul wrote in Romans 2:6-10 “[God] WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”  MacArthur adds “A few chapters later, Paul made it clear that those who attain to the resurrection of the righteous do not do so by their own merits, but by means of their union with Jesus Christ through faith.”  Next we want to look at Romans 6:3-5 “3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,”

Paul spent a whole chapter in the book of 1 Corinthians explaining about the resurrection, and the doctrine of resurrection is one of the most important doctrines found in all of Scripture and it cannot be overstated for without it, there is no Christian faith.  Paul, as stated writes from the 15^th chapter of 1 Corinthians writes “16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”

Studying the doctrine of the Resurrection is most important, and if one attends a church and they do not teach or believe in the resurrection as we have been looking at it then they are not teaching from the Word of God in the right way.  Sadly there are many churches today that do not believe in the resurrection, and so as mentioned stay away from those.  For as we have learned from Paul’s writing if there is no resurrection coming then we are to be most pitied.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “In tabernacles or tents” (Hebrews 11:9).

Today’s Bible question:  “Who was the scribe that came back to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity?”

Answer in our next SD.

3/13/2016 9:37 PM