What actions align with "those who have done good" in John 5:29? The Immediate Context “Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28-29) Good According to Jesus • John 5:24 links “doing good” to hearing and believing: “Whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life.” • John 6:29 supplies the core work: “This is the work of God, that you believe in the One He has sent.” Living faith, then, is the wellspring of every good action Jesus recognizes at the final resurrection. Core Actions That Define “Doing Good” Belief shows itself in a life patterned by at least four overlapping realities: 1. Trusting obedience • John 14:15 — “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” • 1 John 3:24 — “Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him.” 2. Spirit-produced character • Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 3. Active love toward people • John 13:34-35 — “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” • 1 John 3:17-18 — love proves itself “in action and truth.” 4. Works of mercy and righteousness • Matthew 25:35-36 highlights feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, visiting the sick and imprisoned. • James 1:27 calls caring for orphans and widows “pure and undefiled religion.” Practical Outworking Today • Regularly confess Jesus as Lord and cling to His gospel. • Shape daily decisions around Scripture’s clear commands. • Cultivate the Spirit’s fruit by prayerful dependence and repentance. • Seek tangible opportunities to serve—home, church, workplace, community. • Give generously, forgive readily, speak truth graciously. • Pursue holiness (Hebrews 12:14) while resting in grace (Ephesians 2:8-10). Why These Actions Matter Faith that produces such deeds vindicates itself before the throne (James 2:17). Good actions do not earn life; they display the genuine life already planted in Christ. Those evidences are what Jesus will publicly affirm when He calls His people to “the resurrection of life.” |
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