Title: A
Bible Book: John 5 : 24
Author: William F. Harrell
Subject: God, Ways of; Eternal Life; Salvation
Objective:
Introduction
This passage as much as any other points out graphically, just how differently God works when we compare His ways with the way things are done here on planet earth. It is a very good passage to examine when we want to discover the proper information concerning eternal life and how man may obtain it. And, make no mistake about it, the most important question is the question of eternal life. The things of this world matter very little when compared to the gravity of the issue of eternal life. In fact, most people would give everything they have in the world to know for sure where they will spend eternity. You see, locked deep within each of us is the knowledge that we will live forever. People who say they don't believe in this truth are not being truthful with their own heart and mind. Eternal life is a fact of God. It is not a fact of history or science or philosophy or mathematics or sociology. It is not a fact of man, it is a fact of God, because He says that everyone will live forever somewhere. John 5:24 deals clearly with this subject. Listen carefully to what God says about how human beings gain eternal life.
Physical death is not the most profound death - spiritual death is. And, the problem for man is that he does not have to die to be spiritually dead because he already is dead in trespasses and sins. We come into this world spiritually dead. In the physical realm one has to be alive before he can die, but in the spiritual realm life comes after death. God does things in a totally opposite fashion in the spiritual realm from the way things happen on earth in the physical realm. And, we should not be amazed at this because He is God and in His Holiness He is separate from this world and the sin contained in it. He tells us in His Word, "My ways are not your ways." We need to be sure we understand His Ways as best we can.
Where salvation is concerned, His Ways are made perfectly clear. He did not want there to be any confusion at this point. So, He has explained things to us in such a way that He knows that man, with his limited intelligence and his propensity to focus on other things, will still be able to get it straight. So, let’s look at John 5:24 and see just what we can discover concerning eternal life and how we must obtain it.
There are several observations which can be made from this passage which are crucial to our understanding of how one is saved.
I. Doctrine of Co-Equality with the Father V. 18.
II. Doctrine of Evangelism
"he that heareth my word"....
III. Doctrine of Salvation by Faith
"believeth on Him that sent me."
IV. Doctrine of Eternal Life
"hath everlasting life."
V. Doctrines of Judgment And Eternal Security
"shall not come into judgment, but is (has) passed from death unto life."
Conclusion
So, we can readily see that in just one short statement, Jesus has outlined things for us perfectly. There is no reason for a lost man to say that he cannot understand what God has done for him in Jesus Christ. So, he does not have to remain lost. Indeed, that is a choice the man makes. In fact, one does not have to do one thing to remain lost. If the lost person responds in a positive way to what God has done for him in Jesus Christ, then Eternal Life is assured. And, I don't know about the others of the world, but I want Eternal Life - don't you?
