In What Way Does Jesus Judge? John 5:24-30

John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

Whenever Jesus says, "Very truly", he is being very serious and intentional about what he is going to say next. In this case we can see why. He says that whoever believes in him will have eternal life and will not be judged according to his sins but pass from death to life. Again by saying this, Jesus is uniquely connecting himself to the Father. 

"Because the Father and the Son are so united in their work, each is true of the other. True belief in the Father is belief in the Son, and true belief in the Son is belief in the Father." (Guzik)

Jesus then says that the dead will hear his own voice and rise from the dead. Again these are claims that intimate that Jesus is more than a man. Jesus will say in John 14:6 that he is, "The way, the truth and the life". Here he says, "The Son has life in himself." Jesus was with the Father in the beginning creating life so he has life in himself. 

"None of us has life inherent in ourselves. Our life is derived from our parents, and the fragile environment around us. Jesus claimed that His life was derived from no one; it is inherent and uncreated." (Guzik)

Jesus concludes by teaching about his role in judgment. Since Jesus is equal to God, he has the same authority to judge those he was created. At the appropriate time those who have died will hear his voice, and those who have done good will rise to live again, and those who have done evil will be condemned.

This statement begs the question, "If we are saved by grace alone, why does it appear Jesus is advocating it is by our works that we are saved?"  

Here is what one commentator says, which I feel is the best answer to this question.

"This does not mean that salvation is on the basis of good works, for this very Gospel makes it plain over and over again that men enter eternal life when they believe on Jesus Christ. But the lives they live form the test of the faith they profess.” (Morris)

This shows the importance of the rules for interpreting the bible. I.e. We can't develop doctrine by using just one verse in the bible. It needs to be developed based on the teaching in the WHOLE of the bible. Conversely, we don't use one verse to dismiss any doctrine, especially as important as the basis of our justification and salvation. 

There are two more important learnings from this teaching. 

1. All people good and evil will live forever and face judgment. Everyone will face accountablity for their lives. Justice delayed is not justice denied. 

2. If you are a believer, there is an assumption your life will be characterized by doing good. Though you are not saved by works, your life is an expression of the grace you have received in Christ. 

In what way is Jesus judgmental? Is He "judgmental" in the way the world describes it? What does this passage teach us about the nature of Jesus? How does this fact rule out other religions who claim Jesus is just a man?  Does your life speak of the salvation you have received in Christ?