Everlasting Life

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

John 5:24

How does anyone obtain everlasting life? We are quite attached to life and living. If someone falls into depression, becomes uninterested in living, or even suicidal, we recognize that as an abnormality. By contrast, many people concentrate on this portion of life intensely without any real sustained thought of eternity. They have put all their effort into what is here and now without any consideration of what comes afterward. Christ had an impact on the people He encountered while He lived on the earth. He was also clear about the fact that this current scene of time is not all there is. He went so far as to say a person should not spend their time laying up for themselves treasures on earth. Rather He emphasized preparing for eternity. How is it that we may prepare for eternity? Our text gives the answer from the lips of Christ Himself. If we hear His words and believe in the God Who sent Christ, thus honoring both Father and Son, we have everlasting life. If this was the only occasion when Christ ever made such a plain statement it would be enough. A casual reading of John’s gospel reveals He spoke often about everlasting life and always with the same line of thought. He is the fountain of it. We are not in doubt because He is not ambiguous. All our hope is in Him.

Our God of Grace and Glory,
we rejoice that You grant us eternal life.
We praise You that this eternal life is in Your Son.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning