After Jesus healed the man with the infirmity of thirty-eight years at the pool called Bethesda in Jerusalem, the Jews first sought to slay Him because He had healed this man on the sabbath day. Jesus’ response to that was, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17). This response resulted in the Jews seeking more to slay Him because He had said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Following this Jesus showed them the witnesses to His Sonship, which included the works that He had done and the witness of John the Baptist. His final witness He called to testify on His behalf was the Old Testament scriptures. He told them, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). Of course, the scriptures which Jesus was in reference to was that of Moses and the prophets. His point was that those old testament scriptures had foretold His coming, His miraculous healings and His teaching. The apostle Peter, preaching Christ in the temple, applied the following to Christ; “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you…Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days” (Acts 3:22, 24). When Jesus joined himself to the two men who traveled to Emmaus following His crucifixion and resurrection, the scripture says, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). All they really needed to do was search the scriptures.
Those old testament scriptures have been fulfilled and not that under which we today are to abide, still the same command can be applied, “Search the scriptures”. It is the gospel of Christ that must be adhered to in this Christian age. Paul said that the gospel of Christ is “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16). Peter speaks of the truth which purifies our souls, the incorruptible seed by which one is born again, the world of God which liveth and abideth forever and that same word of the Lord being the word which by the gospel is preached unto you (I Peter 1:22-25). Jesus said that His word was that by which we will be judged in the last day (John 12:48). And, Paul stated, “In the day when God shall judge the secretes of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel” (Rom. 2:16). Just what might we find if we searched the New Testament scriptures? Be it understood we are talking about searching with honest and sincere hearts to actually know what those scriptures reveal to us, not looking for a way to justify what we already believe or what we want to believe. Peter mentioned those who would wrest or twist the scriptures, but we are talking about the honest and good hearts pictured in the parable of the soils of Luke eight.
Our search would reveal that God loves man and would have all men to be saved. Paul said that God would, “have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:4). Peter said that the Lord is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9). Revelation’s last invitation says, “…whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17).
Our search would reveal that God has provided a means though His Son Jesus Christ by which we can be saved. Jesus paid the price of redemption with His own blood. Peter wrote, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Peter 1:18-19).
Our search would reveal the requirements set forth by God for us to appropriate that salvation found in His Son. One must hear that gospel message, believe it and obey it (Mark 16:15-16). This obedience includes repentance of our past sins, confession of Christ as the Son of God and baptism into Christ for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38; Matt. 10:32-33; Gal. 3:26-27). This has to be followed by a life of living according to the instructions found in the gospel (Col. 1:22-23; Rev. 2:10).
Finally, our search would reveal just what will happen if we ignore, neglect or reject that plan. “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (II Thess. 1:7-9). The writer of the book of Hebrews asked the question, “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?” (Heb. 2:3). He answers it later saying, “…much more shall we not escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven” (Heb. 12:25). Thus, it would behoove us to “search the scriptures”!