You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me,“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me.Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me;
5 sermons cite this verse
… and I opened his word, God started to speak truth into my heart. Amen to that. Look at this next scripture. I love this one so much. John chapter five, verse 39. You study the scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very scriptures that testify about me. We don't read the Bible so we can get puffed up and quote some verses. We read the Bible because the Bible points us straight to Jesus. And the more I read, the more I understand the love of Jesus. No height, no depth, no power, no principality, nor angel, nor demon can separate me from the love that is in Christ Jesus. And I can hear God whisper into my heart, Jesus loves you. Jesus chose you. Jesus died on the cross for your sins. Jesus has a plan for your life. And that's the God that I want to know. Amen. Worship team, come join me. Just a couple of thoughts to put on the screen. God's word is God's voice. It's how he leads, corrects, confirms, and speaks straight to your spirit. God's word is God's voice speaking straight to your life. And watch what it does. He leads you through his word. He corrects you through his word. He confirms and he speaks straight to your spirit. Put this next one up. When you open the Bible, you're not just reading. I like that. Next time, tomorrow morning when you get up 630, join us on Zoom. After the Zoom or maybe before the Zoom, read your Zoe Devo. …
And, Brothers and Sisters, "you must be born-again," because it is impossible for you to ever enter Heaven unregenerate. On earth you cannot have peace with God without the new birth. God will never be reconciled to the flesh. It is a filthy thing which must be put away. The old nature must be dead and buried. The ordinance of Believers' Baptism is meant to teach us that great Truth of God. It is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh that was done by circumcision, but in the New Covenant it is the burial of the flesh altogether! It must be reckoned to be dead and buried with Christ and so be put right away once and for all. Oh, that the Holy Spirit would work this with each one of us! "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God." And that which, in our mental nature, is called the flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. Is must die and be utterly put away as a corrupt thing! We can only enter Heaven through the possession of the heavenly life by virtue of having been made new creatures in Christ Jesus. Do you, dear Friends, know experimentally what this mean? I have to make this further observation, that this necessity is not to be escaped. You may do what you will, my dear Hearer, and I trust you will be in real earnest in seeking the salvation of your soul, but when you have done your best and your utmost, you must be born-again! Were you from this time to give yourself diligently to searching the Scriptures, you must be born-again. Did you ever notice the very strong light in which Christ put that matter of searching the Scriptures? Read aright, the text says, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me: but you will not come unto Me that you might have life." Many a Bible-reader is content with his Bible-reading but never comes to Christ! Yet Bible-searching alone will not suffice for salvation, "You must be born-again." If you were to become, from this time, regular in private devotion and constant in attendance upon public ordinances, this declaration would still stand, "You must be born-again." If you are to be saved, you must have a new heart and a right spirit and these you cannot get for yourself. A tree may shoot out a new branch, but it cannot change its nature. "You must be born-again, born from above," so our Savior tells us. There must be worked in you a work which is impossible to you, a work which only God, the Holy Spirit, Himself, can perform, or else you cannot see the face of God with acceptance. …
… This morning we're in the fifth chapter of that gospel, beginning at verse 31, reading through verse 47. John chapter 5, verses 31 through 47. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesses of me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. But I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in His light. But I have a greater witness than John's, for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the very works that I do bear witness of Me that the Father has sent Me. And the Father Himself who sent Me has testified of Me. And you have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His Word abiding in you, because whom He sent, him you do not believe. …
5. It may be argued from the abundance of the instructions which God hath given us, from the largeness of that book which God hath given to teach us divinity, and from the great variety that is therein contained. Much was taught by Moses of old, which we have transmitted down to us; after that, other books were from time to time added; much is taught us by David and Solomon; and many and excellent are the instructions communicated by the prophets: yet God did not think all this enough, but after this sent Christ and his apostles, by whom there is added a great and excellent treasure to that holy book, which is to be our rule in the study of this important subject. This book was written for the use of all; all are directed to search the Scriptures, John v. 39. “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they that testify of me;” and Isa. xxxiv. 16. “Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read.” They that read and understand are pronounced blessed, Rev. i. 3. “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that understand the words of this prophecy.” If this be true of that particular book of the Revelation, much more is it true of the Bible in general. Nor is it to be believed that God would have given instructions in such abundance, if he had intended that receiving instruction should be only a bye concern with us. …
7. Secondly. All who desire the grace of God are to wait for it in searching the Scriptures. our Lords direction, with regard to the use of this means, is likewise plain and clear. Search the Scriptures, saith he to the unbelieving Jews, for they testify of me. (John 5:39.) And for this very end did he direct them to search the Scriptures, that they might believe in him. The objection, that “this is not a command, but only an assertion, that they did search the Scriptures,” is shamelessly false. I desire those who urge it, to let us know how a command can be more clearly expressed, than in those terms, ereunate tas graphas. It is as peremptory as so many words can make it. And what a blessing from God attends the use of this means, appears from what is recorded concerning the Bereans; who, after hearing St. Paul, “searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed;” found the grace of God, in the way which he had ordained. (Acts 17:11, 12.) It is probable, indeed, that in some of those who had “received the word with all readiness of mind,” “faith came,” as the same Apostle speaks, “by hearing,” and was only confirmed by reading the Scriptures: But it was observed above, that under the general term of searching the Scriptures, both hearing, reading, and meditating are contained. …