◄ What Does John 5:40 Mean? ►

Many people find it very difficult to accept that the Lord Jesus is equal in all aspect of deity with the Father, while remaining the unique Son of God and second Person of the Trinity. But He is very God of very God, eternally begotten of the Father, made flesh, and dwelt amongst us to save His people from their sins. Various unbiblical cults and religious sects seek ways to diminish Christ's eternal deity and divine authority and regard Him a lesser 'god', for they are unwilling to come to Him so that they might have life.

Many refuse to look to the Lord Jesus as the second member of the eternal Trinity Who is co-equal and co-eternal with both the Father and the Holy Ghost, because they like to say that nowhere in the Bible does Jesus claim to be equal with God. And yet, the Scriptures are replete with examples where Christ proclaimed His eternal divinity and co-equality with the Father. The inspired Word of God similarly lays claim to Christ's deity, for we are told that He is the visible image of the invisible God; full of grace and truth. Many do not believe that Jesus is fully God because they are unwilling to come to Him so that they might have life and have it more abundantly, by faith.

Jesus came into this world as Emmanuel; God with us; the Word made flesh; to live on earth in the one and only way that man was created to live: in total dependence upon God. Although He was fully God, the Lord Jesus lived His life as man was originally designed to live before the fall: in spirit, in truth, in total dependence upon God, and in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

And the life of Christ gave undeniable testimony of His eternal origin and equality with the Father. He claimed to be God by means of the works that He did, for He only said and did those things that came from the Father. He healed the sick, cleansed the leper, raised the dead, and forgave sins. He stilled the storm and turned water to wine. He fed the multitudes and raised Himself from the dead. He healed the broken-hearted and set captives free from bondage to sin. He forgave sins and broke the curse of the Law in the lives of all who believe in Him. But men love darkness more than light because their deeds are evil. Men were unwilling to come to Jesus for salvation and life eternal during His sojourn on earth, 2000 years ago, And men continue to be unwilling to come to Christ so that they may have life.

Christ knew that His own witness of Himself, although perfectly true and indisputable, was rejected by this unbelieving generation as untrue, and so He called on other witnesses to testify to the truth of His Messianic claims, His divine authority, His equality with the Father, and God's blessing upon His Person and His Work.

First, He called on the testimony of John the Baptist, who had declared: "This is the Son of God Who takes away the sin of the world." Secondly, He called on the witness the amazing miracles that He did in the name of the Father, for many were heard to testify: "No one could do the mighty works that He did unless God was with Him." And finally, He called upon the witness of the Father Himself Who at His baptism had testified:  "This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased. HEAR HIM." But the same sad response is heard today as it was 2000 years ago: "But you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life."

The Scripture from start to finish is a witness and a testimony that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, manifest in the flesh as the perfect Son of Man, for these are they which testify to the truth of His claims, and in Whom are the words of eternal life. But sadly, the majority of the world today have the same attitude that was discovered in the unbelieving generation of Christ's earthly walk; they are unwilling to come to Jesus so that they may have life.

I praise and thank You, Heavenly Father, that You convicted me of my sin and the need of Christ for the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. But Lord, there are many today who reject the truth of Scripture and the testimony that Jesus is the eternal Son of God Who came to earth to die for the sin of the whole world, co-equal with the Father and a member of the co-eternal Godhead. Convict many today of their need of You, I pray, so that before it is too late You will bring many into the kingdom. In Jesus' name, AMEN.