John 5:1-24

5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."

Jesus summarizes the gospel, emphasizing the power He yields to save.

I was thinking about passing from death into life. This isn't a reference to hell vs. heaven as much as it is a statement of the difference in the earthly life of a believer vs. an unbeliever. We have "passed" (past-tense) from death into life. What is "death" and what is "life"?

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world...in the lusts of our flesh, indulging in the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath" - Eph 2:1-3

"Death" is the slavery to our own sin nature. Like zombies we walk around not even hardly aware of our spiritually dilapidated state. We sin and think nothing of it, we deceive ourselves with good works that are themselves sins of pride and arrogance.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." - Eph 2:4-6

"Life" is the freedom from sin and the exultation with Christ. Despite deserving destruction, we are exalted with Christ by being joined to Him in His resurrection. The miracle of the "third day" when Christ showed His power over death is ours as we pass from "death" to "life". We are rejoined to our Creator as we had never been, but always should have been. We are given a desire to do good works for God's pleasure, not our own. We are given the Holy Spirit, God dwelling inside us to guide and mold us. We are grafted into the body of Christ, the church which gives us direction, purpose, and support. Now that's what I call life!

Don't get me wrong... heaven will be great! But when you read this passage, don't skip past it with fleeting images of pearly gates and gold pavement. Realize that Jesus is talking about the power to punch the bully of sin a deathblow and lead you to the life that God always dreamed for you.

Lord, help me to appreciate the LIFE I have now! Thank You for Your Word, the good works You prepared for me, Your Holy Spirit, Your body, and most of all for the ability to commune with You as I was made to do. Help me to ever grow closer to You.