John 5: Nothing Apart From Him

Join me as I read through and reflect on the Gospel of John.

The invalid at the pool was paralyzed by his circumstances. He thought that because he couldn’t get to the water, he would never get well. So, he resigned himself to a life of hopelessness, which no doubt became a life of sin.

That sin is what Jesus was referring to when he asked if he wanted to get well. Obviously, he wanted to be healed physically, but I can only imagine the bitterness and anger that had entangled him spiritually over 38 years of this.

What joy must have filled his heart when Jesus took away this roadblock! He healed his body so that he might see a better path to true life for his soul.

So, leave the sin that paralyzes and cling instead to the One who gives eternal life! He is the only one who can raise the dead.

What a beautiful and remarkable truth it is that the source of all life in the universe is a Father-Son relationship! The two are inseparable. For Jesus admits He is completely dependent on his Father. Nothing He could ever do apart from Him would mean anything.

And why would He ever want to do anything apart from the Father? For He is completely satisfied by His love. His love is the greatest motivation of all. In light of it, we can see obedience for what it truly is: a gift and a privilege.

But the Jews rejected this type of relationship with God for mere words and virtue signaling. They took the scriptures and rejected the God behind them because they wanted glory and prestige on earth rather than true life in God. Such a life is so fragile, so full of fear and misery. For around every corner is a threat to the identity one builds for oneself. How can one ever have joy when one’s god is the fickle and fleeting praise of man?

So, instead, I will look to the scriptures and see the truth about myself. They show me that I am a sinner in desperate need of salvation. Therefore, if I testify about myself apart from Christ, my testimony is invalid since I am nothing more than a dead man.

But thanks be to God that there is One who testifies on my behalf before the throne of God above! He calls me loved by God, so that’s what I am. And in this truth I will live.

Amen