John 5:24-47

“I speak to you an eternal truth: if you embrace my message and believe in the One who sent me, you will never face condemnation. In me, you have already passed from the realm of death into eternal life!” “I speak to you an eternal truth: Soon the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who listen will arise with life! For as the Father is the source of life, so he has given the Son the power to impart life. The Father has transferred to the Son the authority to judge, because he is the Son of Man. “Don’t be amazed when I tell you these things, for there is a day coming when everyone who has ever died will hear my voice calling them back to life, and they will come out of their graves! Those who have done what is good will experience a resurrection to eternal life. And those who have practiced evil will taste the resurrection of judgment! “Nothing I do is from my own initiative. As I hear the judgment passed by my Father, I execute those judgments. And my judgments will be perfect, because I seek only to fulfill the desires of my Father who sent me. If I were to make claims about myself, you would have reasons to doubt. But there is another who bears witness on my behalf, and I know that what he testifies of me is true.” “You have sent messengers to John, and what he testified about me is true. I have no need to be validated by men, but I’m explaining these things so that you will believe and be saved. “John was a blazing, shining torch, and for a short time, you basked in his light with great joy. But I can provide more substantial proof of who I am that exceeds John’s testimony—my miracles! These works which the Father destined for me to complete—they prove that the Father has sent me! And my Father himself, who gave me this mission, has also testified that I am his Son. But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his Word truly live inside of you, for you refuse to believe in me or to embrace me as God’s messenger. “You are busy analyzing the Scriptures, poring over them hoping to gain eternal life. Everything you read points to me, yet you still refuse to come to me so I can give you the life you’re looking for—eternal life! “I do not accept the honor that comes from men, for I know what kind of people you really are, and I can see that the love of God has found no home in you. I have come to represent my Father, yet you refuse to embrace me in faith. If someone comes in their own name and with their own agenda, you readily accept him. Of course you’re unable to believe in me. For you live to enjoy the praises of others and not the praise that comes from the one true God. “I will not accuse you before the Father. The one who will incriminate you is Moses, the very one you claim to obey, the one in whom you trust! If you really believed what Moses has written, then you would embrace me, for Moses wrote about me! But since you do not believe what he wrote, no wonder you don’t believe what I say.”