That Ye Might Have Life #4
/by Joseph L. Watkins
In John 3:36 we read this very profound declaration. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on Him.”
Could the very truth contained in this brief statement be made more plain and understandable? We think not. For these are clear and very precise words… these are quick and powerful words… these are words which the Holy Spirit has chosen to set forth a very vital truth that we all need to be able to clearly understand and comprehend. We must fully appreciate the very serious and eternal implication of these words, so they were spoken with utmost simplicity and clarity, so that none need misunderstand this great truth… he that believeth on the Son hath life and shall live again in the resurrection, and he that “believeth not” shall not see the resurrection… but the wrath = judgment of death… abideth on Him. He simply will not live again in resurrection, for he is dead.
Again, in 1 John 5:12 it is put in equally plain language … he that hath the Son (as a savior) hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. Yes, it is just that plain and simple. Those human beings that have the gift of life that is in the Lord Jesus Christ will live again in the resurrection. But those human beings that have never received that gift of life will not live again, but are under the judgment, which is death.
In Gen. 2:15-17 the Lord God said … if you disobey my words, thou shalt surely die. We know that he did disobey, and we also are told in Gen. 5:5 that Adam lived 930 years, and then died.
The words that the Lord God had spoken to Adam were also very plain and clearly stated. They were set forth in such clarity that we have no reason to suppose that perhaps Adam misunderstood or was confused, or that he might not have had a full appreciation of the serious implications of his willful act. No, God’s words were plain and precise. Disobey, and thou shalt surely die.
However, we do not have such empathy and sympathy for our first parents, for you see they had “a friend” that came around to see them one day, to help them clear up that the Lord God had said. For he loved them so he said, “ye shall not “surely” die. Not really “die”, … not actually die a total death … that’s not what the Lord intended for you to believe.
So it is even today. We all have our “friends” that are so eagerly ready to help us clear up the muddy waters of God’s word. They say death is not actually a state without life, for we are immortal souls. Who will you believe?
