Hearing God’s Voice

Post #97

John 5:25-30. (WEB)
“Most certainly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself. 27 He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. 28 Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice, 29 and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. 30 I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.”

Did Jesus give a clue in this passage about what the good deeds were that the first group did and the evil things that
the second group did?

What does Jesus expect of his followers but to follow his example in their lives? He said in verse 30, “I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.”

We have to realize, as Jesus did, that we can of ourselves do nothing of a spiritual nature; such as, to resurrect our selves or give ourselves eternal life. Moreover, in the here and now, we cannot lead ourselves to repentance or develop the fruit of the Holy Spirit on our own. The fruit of the Spirit develops after we actively allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, to change us and transform us in a way that enables us to begin to think and behave according to God’s will.

In order to do this we need to acknowledge our spiritual inadequacy, surrender our fallen nature to God and ask for his help daily.  In other words we need to “ask, seek and knock” consistently in order to express to God our growing desire to have him work in us and through us.

Romans 2:3-4 says, “ Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” Therefore we need to ask God to lead us to repentance, to change from doing things our own way without seeing  any need to ask for his input. The nature of the good works that Jesus talks about are the works that he does in us and through us – at  our request and acquiescence.

John 14:11-13, “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake. ¹² Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father. ¹³ Whatever you will ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

Again, we need to ask God to help us to ask for things according to his will.  We can be sure that it is God’s will that we should ask for help to worship him and glorify his name.

By the context, I think it is logical to conclude that the evil doers mentioned in John 5:29, simply did their own thing without any spiritual connection or input from God in their lives.

Luke 11:11-13 says, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he? ¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Jesus called the people EVIL who did not see a need to ask for the help of the Holy Spirit.

The so-called evil people, who obeyed the whims of their human nature all their lives,  are to be resurrected to meet God in the Judgement. Revelation 20:12 says, “I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.”

I don’t believe our loving and compassionate  Father would automatically condemn anyone to death, but would
first inform them of the charges against them, give their consciences opportunity to believe and be convinced of their guilt; and also give them time to show remorse and ask for forgiveness – or not. It appears to me that their life from that point on will depend on how they react in their appearance before Jesus, the judge; be it positive or negative. In other words, if they choose to ask God to help them believe and repent, they will have the opportunity to accept Jesus’ sacrifice on their behalf and receive the gift of eternal life. On the other hand, some may be so convinced, in their wisdom, that their way is the only way such that they will refuse to be ruled over by anyone else, whether he claims to be the Creator God or not.

After all “God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God didn’t send his Son into the world to (condemn) the world, but that the world should be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17)

It seems that the majority of people today are living their lives quite oblivious to the advantages of listening for the guiding leadership of the Holy Spirit of God. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God.” The New Testament children of God are called Christians.

We need to pray and ask God to help us to have our minds open to hear his voice because he desires to lead us “in the paths of righteousness”. (Psalm 23)

The following is a way of saying the Lord’s Prayer which may illustrate how to ask for God’s help to do his will.

Our Father in heaven, help us to hallow and worship your holy name. Help us to desire your kingdom to come on earth and to have Jesus rule over us. Help us to do your will and give ourselves to you as living sacrifices. Please continue to provide our daily bread, both physical and spiritual – especially Jesus the bread of life.  Forgive our transgressions of your law to the extent that we forgive others. Please help us to have forgiving hearts and to believe our sins are really forgiven. Keep us from temptations to forge ahead in our own ways without consulting with you in prayer. Keep us from the self centered ways of the evil one. We bow before you in surrender, for yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. We pray in your holy name, Amen.