16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
Jesus healed on the Sabbath and that was wrong because it was “work.” Worse, he was associating himself with God, making himself equal with God. For this, they wanted to kill him.
17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”
Work is good. God works. Jesus works. For those who do not work, they are not reflecting the image of God who is a God who works.
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
This is all about the mutual honor. The Son does only what he sees the Father doing. And what does the Father do?
- He loves the Son
- He shows him all he does
- His Son can give life just as He gives life
- The Father entrusts judgment to His Son, so that His Son may be honored
There is deep mutuality between the Father and Son. This is not a physical relationship but a spiritual one within the Godhead. It is the place of honor.
Jesus honors the Father by only doing what He sees His Father doing. The Father loves and honors the Son by giving him authority so that all people will respect and honor the Son the same as the Father.
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
People wrongly think we get a choice between death and life, hell or heaven. But we don’t. Because of justice, our sins have made us worthy of Hell. We are under the death penalty. The only choice we have is will we accept rescue or not. Will we trust Jesus as the sacrifice for our sins or not.
Those in the grave who hear the Son of God will live. They have given their lives to him and trusted him for their eternity. It’s the Son who does this. The Son is the one who has been given the authority to judge.
This does pose a few questions. Are those who have died in the grave? In paradise? Considering Jesus told the thief on the cross, “today, you will be with me in Paradise,” it would seem that there is paradise. And a new heaven and new earth coming later. Therefore “those in the grave,” it seems, appear to mainly be a euphemism for those who have already died.
Second, we Jesus has truly been given all authority on heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18-20). We see that here. He was given authority to judge.
28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
A time of judgment is coming. Again, there is the grave description. It is not so clear here, but once again, it is likely a metaphor for those who have already died. And now the Great Judgment Day has come. The righteous will rise to life, and those who have done evil will be condemned.
There are several points to ponder. First is the issue of condemnation. It does not say they will be extinguished for all eternity. It says that there will be condemnation for evil. Justice will be served. A person may escape on earth, but they will not escape before God.
But then there’s that second part. The righteous will rise to life and those who have done evil will be condemned. So…is this works based righteousness? Is this proof, like the Mormons and every other religion says, that salvation is based on works?
We know that Romans 8:1 says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We also know in Ephesians 2:8-9 that no one is saved through works, but by faith in Christ alone. So what about this verse?
It’s important to remember the context. Specifically verse 24.
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life
And to remember the context of all of the gospel of John where multiple times it says that eternal life is through faith in Jesus. Here are just a few of those Scriptures.
- everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:15)
- “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
- “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36).
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For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day” (John 6:40.
Those who hear and trust in God who sent Christ will have eternal life. They will not be judged. They will not be among the condemned. So what about the good works?
The Bible teaches that those who are in Christ will do works of righteousness. Not for salvation but from salvation.
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? (Romans 6:1-2).
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One (1 John 2:1).
Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister (1 John 3:4-10).