Accepting the Evidence

KEY VERSE: “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.” —John 5:39

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: John 5:30-47

JESUS WAS talking to a crowd of Jews incited to hostility and claiming he had no respect for the Law because he healed a man on the Sabbath Day. Added to this was their angry accusation that he had said God was his father, making himself equal with God. (vs. 18) And for this they sought to kill him.

Our Lord in his reply told his accusers that they were unstudied in the Scriptures. While they claimed a great truth that in the Word of God they could have eternal life, they nevertheless were unable to comprehend from the Scriptures how that life would come to them. He contended that if correctly understood, the Law and the prophets testified of him as the means by which life could be obtained. But Jesus they rejected, as his words reveal; he received not honor from men.—vs. 41

Before the time came for the providing of the ransom from sin and death, God showed by his dealings with the nation of Israel the impossibility of any of the fallen race walking in the way of life by their own efforts. He showed this by giving Israel his Law. Not only did God give them his Law, but he made with Israel through Moses as the mediator what we speak of as the Law Covenant. God promised Israel certain earthly blessings if they would do as he instructed. These included the reward of life on the human plane for perfect obedience.

However, the completely honest Israelite would doubtless be forced to say in his heart, in the language of the Apostle Paul, “The commandment which was unto life, this I found to be unto death.” (Rom. 7:10, R.V.) Human imperfections prevent members of the fallen race from measuring up to the perfect standard of obedience. Hence, as Paul said, “By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight.” (Rom. 3:20) The Law Covenant, therefore, brought condemnation to death because Israel could not live up to their covenant obligations into which, through Moses, they had entered.

With the coming of Jesus and the giving in sacrifice of his perfect human life, a new “way” to life had been opened. (Heb. 10:20) This is a way not wholly dependent upon works, but of a living, obedient faith. It is a way whereby those who believe that Jesus is God’s anointed, who has ransomed man from the power of the grave, make a full consecration to him, and are by faith released from condemnation and receive the begetting of the Holy Spirit. Such are on the way, not to human perfection—“that which was lost”—but are traveling a new and living way.

This is not a way which leads to death, such as came upon Israel under the Law Covenant, but a new way which really leads to life, bringing it within the reach of all who are called with “the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14) This is a life obtained through sacrificing the human, fleshly will, and as new creatures in Christ Jesus conforming one’s self to the image of God’s dear Son. In this connection the Apostle Paul gives a beautiful testimony. He writes: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”—Rom. 8:1,2

Those who now walk “the narrow way” will gain “glory and honor and immortality” for which with the LordS help they sought so faithfully. And being thus clothed with the divine nature and power, they will be prepared for the great work of restoring and blessing the world in the Millennial Age.

Then a new way to actual human perfection is to “be made very plain”; so clearly understood that, according to Leeser, “the wayfaring man, and those unacquainted therewith, shall not go astray.” This way will be so plain that none will need to teach his neighbor, saying “Know the Lord: for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them.” (Jer. 31:30) This particular “way of life” will be available during “the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”—Acts 3:21

This is the united testimony of the Scriptures. If we accept the evidence they afford, we will see that indeed every prophet through the directing influence of God’s Holy Spirit wrote of these days, foretelling of the complete and final victory over death that is accomplished by our Lord Jesus during his two advents to earth—first to die, and then to reign.

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