“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.” (John 5:29 KJV)
Some use this one verse and teach a person is saved by good works. Is that really the truth of the verse though? Only if read out of context.
Read More Of The Passage To See Proper Context
“25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, AND NOW IS, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” (John 5:25 KJV)
In verse 25 He said AND NOW IS. He’s talking about the dead who we now know were also raised at Jesus’ resurrection from Matt. 27:52-53:
“And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” (Matthew 27:52-53 KJV)
When we go back to John 5 and continue from verse 25 we read,
“26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for THE HOUR IS COMING, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 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.”
We see in verse 28 He says THE HOUR IS COMING. He’s looking forward to the resurrection of the dead in the end times when Christ returns at His Second Coming event AFTER the Tribulation Period. This is confirmed in verse 42-43.
“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.”
At this future time, after Rapture of the Church Age believers, Israel will be in the foretold Tribulation Period (Daniel’s 70th week prophecy) and they will mostly still deny Jesus is the foretold Messiah as they do today.
Instead, Israel today is claiming the Messiah is coming soon, but it is not Jesus. They will be deceived and accept the Antichrist instead,
‘…if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.’. This is what Jesus was foretelling!
In verse 29, what is ‘the good’ spoken of?
“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.” (John 5:29 KJV)
Our good works? No, because in Matthew 7:22-23, Jesus warned that those not born again by believing in Christ and His foretold final work paying for all sins (1 John 2:2), who instead rely on works ARE NOT SAVED. Jesus will tell them He NEVER KNEW THEM. Jesus cannot teach two opposing truths.
The truth is that no one can do GOOD unless Christ is living IN THEM. Later in John 15 Jesus said that to bear more fruit in good works for God,
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING.” (John 15:5 KJV)
Earlier in John Jesus told Nicodemus, thet ‘Ye must be born’, in the spirit by belief on Christ (John 3:14-18). So the good here, is very good. Saved by belief on Christ, not our works.
Oh and something I find interesting! Read John 5:29 (‘they that have done good’) and then read John 6:29. Both 29th verses. Compare. Wow. Coincidence both 29th verse? I think not!
“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, THAT YE BELIEVE ON HIM whom he hath sent.”
The Holy Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit indeed!
Back to John 5
“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 FATHER which hath sent me.” (John 5:30 KJV)
So what is this ‘will of the Father’? Again, when we keep reading into the very next Chapter 6 of John where Jesus again proclaims to be the foretold Messiah and Christ,
“38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the FATHER’S WILL which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should LOSE NOTHING, but should raise it up again AT THE LAST DAY.
40 And this is THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, that every one which seeth the Son, AND BELIEVETH ON HIM, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:39-40 KJV)
The DO GOOD resurrected unto life eternal in John 5:29, by seeing the context in the book of John and other teachings of Christ Jesus is clearly not good deeds. It is BELIEF ON CHRIST for righteousness. It is having a BORN AGAIN SPIRIT by belief on Christ. It is those who believe on Christ for righteousness and not good works. Remember as Apostle Paul taught; the wages of sin is not good works. It is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Jesus paid the price for our sins. He paid for all sins (1 John 2:2) and it is finished.
Believer…
You are redeemed and free indeed.
We need to use proper context and not just one line verses to see the true meaning, amen?
