The apostle John wrote how Jesus said, “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. For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself. And has given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,”, and in chapter five and verse twenty-nine of his book, John shared how Jesus said those in the graves, “shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” where we read:
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.
The verse reads, “And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;”. John began with the words, “and shall come forth” or “and will arise and appear”; “they that have done good” which means “the people whether male or female who have performed, produce and made ready useful, salutary, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished, upright and honorable things”, “unto the resurrection” or “toward the rising up, raised and recovery” “of life” which means “pertaining to life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever”. John shared how Jesus said the people who have “produced useful, pleasant, upright and honorable” things would experience the “raising from the grave” toward “abundant life” that lasts “forever”.
The verse goes on to say, “and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John continued with the words, “and they that have done evil” which means “and the people who have performed, produced and made ready slight, mean, worthless, of no account, bad and wicked things” “unto the resurrection” or “toward the rising up, raised and recover” “of damnation” which means “pertaining to separating, sundering, selection and sentence of condemnation or damnatory judgment”. John shared how Jesus said the people who have “performed and produced” “mean, bad and wicked things” will experience the “raising from the grave” toward “condemnation and damnatory judgment”.
When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn how each person will be held accountable for the “things” they have done in their bodies. Those who have “done good” will be rewarded with “abundant and everlasting life”, but those who have “done evil” will discover the “condemnatory judgment” of Jesus. God's desire is to “save” every person from this “damnatory judgment”, and those who yield their lives to His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their “wicked and evil deeds”. Those who refuse to receive Jesus will stand on their own merits and be judged by Jesus according to their deeds. The scriptures are clear, “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10”, and “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The only solution for “wicked deeds, acts, words and attitudes” is to humble oneself before Jesus, ask Him to forgive their sins and receive Him as “Lord” of their lives. All others will be judged according to their own “wickedness”.
Next time John shares how Jesus says, “I can of my own self do nothing”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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