Lessons from John 5: Jesus and God are One

Jesus and God are One

Jesus claimed in John 5:19 that He and the Father were one. One did not work independently of the other. Instead, they worked in unison. And they worked in this way due to their deep level of love.

“For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed” (John 5:20).

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life (speaking of the spiritual resurrection of the dead), even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it. Meaning Jesus was not merely the agent of life, He was and is the source of life.

And then Jesus said, “Moreover…” (meaning besides or furthermore). In case that’s not enough to wrap your little minds around, here’s some other news for you. Verse 22: “…the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.”

In other words, because Jesus is the source of life, He has the right and authority to judge life.

The reason (verse 23), is so all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. And those who do not honor the Son do not honor the Father.

Therefore, if Jesus claimed to be one with the Father in His works and if healing the man on the Sabbath was a sin, then the Father was to blame! Jesus stated clearly that he did nothing by himself. He only did that which the Father was doing. The Father and the Son worked together, doing the same deeds in the same way.

In John 10:30 Jesus stated again, “I and the Father are one.”

You see, Jesus and the Father are so interpersonally woven that neither works independently of the other. Everything they do is in unison and agreement. There are no differences between them. They are of one purpose, one aim, and one fulfillment.

When Jesus came to earth as a man, He submitted Himself to the Father in everything. He veiled His glory and laid aside the independent exercise of His divine attributes.

In the wilderness, Satan tempted Him to use His divine powers for Himself, but Jesus refused to act independently. Instead, He fully relied on the authority of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit.

And not only did the Father show the Son His works and enable Him to do them, but the Father also shared His love.

The Father loves His Son beyond measure and yet His love does not stop there. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

These blind religious leaders could not see nor understand what Jesus was doing because they did not know the Father nor the Son. Yes, they knew the scriptures but they did not know the author.

The divine one who came right there and stood in their midst offered them new life, abundant life, eternal life.

And yes, they would see greater things than this healing on the Sabbath for later Jesus would raise Lazarus from the dead. But in the eyes of the Pharisees this was blasphemous. They gave the power to raise the dead to God alone, and yet Jesus had come not only as an agent of life, He was and still is the source of life.

Jesus claimed equality in another area and that was namely equality in honor with the Father. What a tremendous claim: If you do not honor Jesus the Son, you are not honoring the Father. So if anyone claims to honor God, yet denies the deity of Christ they have neither the Son or the Father.

Thus they are condemned and the Judge Jesus Christ will seal their fate by casting them in the lake of fire because they remain in their sin of unbelief.

Yet those who choose to believe will receive eternal life and will not be condemned. These have crossed over from death to life.

Jesus has the authority to give life, to judge, and to receive honor.

Have you received life from Him? Do you believe He is the Lord and Savior sent from His Father to save you? And if you have received new life in Christ, are you doing the work and will of the Father and Son at all times, in all places and situations? If not what will you do differently this week to prove your love and devotion and belief in Him and the Father? What sin are you so entangled in that you need new life or restoration?

Remember that nothing is too hard for God. The one who sits in heaven reigns on earth and came to set the captives free! So confess your wrong and be free.

For if the Son sets you free you are free indeed! Jesus and God are One!

Terri Hamman

Faith & Fitness Coach