John 5:24 (ESV) – Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Every person in the world faces death. This isn’t just the reality physically. It is the reality spiritually as well. Each person is born under the curse of sin and at enmity with God. Paul calls us “children of wrath” in Ephesians 1:3. This means we stand under the judgment of God from birth because of our rebellion and sin as descendants of Adam. 

But our passage today shows us how salvation is described as a crossing over from spiritual death to life. We read Jesus’ words in John 5:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

Jesus says that those who hear His words and believe Him (the Father) who sent Him have eternal life. This process of hearing and believing is a description of faith in Jesus. The gospel is a message heard and believed. It is a message about believing the identity of Jesus to be the Savior of the world, the Son of God. This belief, or faith, reconciles us with God because it is God who sent Jesus for this purpose and role. To receive Christ is to receive salvation from the Father. 

Jesus then adds to this that the person who believes does not come into judgment. There is no condemnation for the person who believes. Rather, they have passed from death to life. Jesus described the crossing over from spiritual death to spiritual life. To go from death to life is the outcome of believing the gospel. We were born into judgment and spiritual death. Hell was our destination. But through faith in Christ, we are made alive. We cross from judgment to acceptance. We move from damned to rescued. We cross over from eternal death to eternal life. This is a miracle of grace that God supplies through Christ. 

Believe in Christ today. Give thanks for the spiritual life found in Jesus alone.
Hear His words and believe He is who He said He was.
He is the Savior of the world.
Faith in Him rescues you from eternal damnation and death.

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Reflection & Journal:
- Why is the description of salvation outlined as crossing from death to life?
- What must someone do to cross from death to life?
- How should our lives daily reflect this crossing over if we are in Christ?

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