John speaks so simply and beautifully about the grace of God. For example, John says this: “30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me” John 5:30. When John says he can do nothing on his own he is speaking about doing good things, things of God. It takes grace , the grace of God, to do anything good, anything God wishes us to do. We cannot do the good thing on our own volition, on our own strength. If we did have the strength or the fortitude to do good on our own strength then Jesus would not have had to come and die on the Cross and save us. But we need the grace of God, we need God to give us what we need, not what we deserve. So anything good that we do, we must simply say: Thank you Jesus!
But when we err, when we sin, when we take control and do things on our own, we sin, we fall flat on our faces. And when we think erroneously that we can do the good on our own, and we sin, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
So John is helping us tremendously here when he tells us that “I can do nothing on my own” (verse 30). He is pushing us to acknowledge that God is in our corner, that God is on our side, that God is helping us to do good. So give thanks to God today and pray that He will give us His grace to do good. Pray in the words of John: “Lord, help me to do not my own will but the will of You and Your Father in heaven."
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” Hebrews 11:6.
“There is salvation in no one else” Acts 4:12.
“Watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap” Luke 21:34.
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” Acts 16:31.
“Jesus answered them, ‘See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray’”Matthew 24:4-5.
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