While the Jews sought all the more to kill Jesus, because in their mind He had not only broken the sabbath but said also that God was His Father -- making Himself equal with God --Jesus is telling them (and us by extension) to "search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me." (John 5:39) Note that Jesus does not stop there in this situation. Jesus continues by saying, "And/[but] ye will not come to Me that ye might have life!" (John 5:40)
You see salvation and life can only be obtained through the Lord Jesus -- the Christ. One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. In fact, Jesus said as much when He said to His disciples, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6)
In another place, Jesus said He was the door -- "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture ..." (John 10:7-10)
And that He Jesus is the Good Shepherd -- "I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd gives this life for the sheep!" (John 10:11, 14)
In fact, there is only one door into the sheepfold -- through this same Jesus whom ye have crucified -- this same Jesus who is BOTH Lord and Christ! How do we know? Because after His kindness and love, God willingly became our Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7) He paid the ultimate price. Indeed, He took on sin-prone flesh (yet He was without sin) so that He could become the perfect sacrifice on the cross for you and I -- "according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord; in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him." (Ephesians 3:11-12)
"According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will -- in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence -- having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He hath purposed in Himself; that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, [even] in Him; in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things ... after the counsel of His own will!" (Ephesians 1:4-14)
This is why we are instructed to let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; "who, being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God; but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, wherefore God also hath exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name" -- the Name of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 2:5-11)
"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth ... For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (I Timothy 2:3-6; Romans 12:2; II Timothy 1:9; John 17:3; Galatians 3:2; Hebrews 9:15; Mark 10:45)
"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11) Nevertheless, His love for His beloved creation dictated that He would become our Saviour. In fact, He became the greatest love story ever told! But why did salvation require a "perfect"sacrifice? We see that understanding revealed in the book of Hebrews:
"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
And for this cause, He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption, of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator lives. Whereupon neither the first [testament] was dedicated without blood ..." (Hebrews 8:13-18)
His last will and testament so that we can receive His inheritance -- "Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles [you and I] should be fellow heirs, and of the same body and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel ..." (Ephesians 3:3-6)
And because of His sacrifice, in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for He is our peace ,,, for through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father! (Ephesians 2:18)
How do we know this to be true? Because we search the scriptures knowing that in them is eternal life ... for as Jesus said -- the scriptures "are they which testify of Me." Stand in the offering plate.
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