John 5:21 says "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will."
There are some who take this verse out of context and use it to support a reformed theology position,
emphasizing the part of verse 21 that says "the Son gives life to whom He will."
So, I would like to add some contextual clarification...,
verse 24 follows and says "Most assuredly [that's Christ's emphasis, not mine], I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has eternal life [my emphasis], and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life".
It seems obvious that the "whom He will" in verse 21 is plainly described in this verse 24.
God wills to give life to all who hear and believe.
Hebrews 11:6 tells us that "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."
Romans 10:9-11 tells us: "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
John 5:40 seems to further support that a person may believe, and thereby receive life, or may choose to not believe, and therefore enter into judgment. It does not say "you CANNOT come"; it says "you WILL not come"....
Selah
There are some who take this verse out of context and use it to support a reformed theology position,
emphasizing the part of verse 21 that says "the Son gives life to whom He will."
So, I would like to add some contextual clarification...,
verse 24 follows and says "Most assuredly [that's Christ's emphasis, not mine], I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has eternal life [my emphasis], and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life".
It seems obvious that the "whom He will" in verse 21 is plainly described in this verse 24.
God wills to give life to all who hear and believe.
Hebrews 11:6 tells us that "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."
Romans 10:9-11 tells us: "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”
John 5:40 seems to further support that a person may believe, and thereby receive life, or may choose to not believe, and therefore enter into judgment. It does not say "you CANNOT come"; it says "you WILL not come"....
Selah