Hearing and believing

John 5:24 (NASB)

"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 defines what is required to be assured of eternal life.  There are two requirements---(1) hearing His word and (2) believing God who sent Jesus to be your Savior.  To hear His word means more than simple hearing…….you must receive His word with an open heart and do what it says.  To “believe Him who sent Me” means to believe in the love of God, to honor God, and to believe, as Jesus said earlier, that the “Father has given all judgment to the Son”.

Jesus basically is teaching that you have two choices.  Either you believe His claims, His promises, and His teaching or you don’t.  If you do believe you are given eternal life; you will not be judged as an unbeliever, and you will forever with the Lord in heaven.  If you don’t believe in Jesus’ words, then you are choosing His condemnation (John 3:18) and eternal death (separation from the Lord). 

When Jesus’ words become personal to you, you develop a personal relationship with Him and you receive personal freedom from ever having to be judged whether or not you deserve eternal life.  Eternal life is given to you by the words of Christ without you having to do anymore than to believe in Him.  Of course, to believe also means to act like a follower of Christ; i.e. your actions reflect your relationship with Him. 

Jesus expects people to take these words seriously.  Why else would He start this verse by stating “Truly, truly…….”  To repeat this word means that it is absolute truth.  The word Jesus used here is “amen, amen” with the original meaning of amen being “so be it”, “so it is”, “it is fulfilled”.  The Greek word “amen” is almost identical to the Hebrew word for “believe” (amam), an expression of absolute truth and confidence.  For Jesus to say this word twice emphasizes how much He is stressing the importance and the absolute, irrefutable truth of His words that follow. 

Do you hear His word?  Do you believe in the Father who sent the Son?  Do you know that you have eternal life?  Do you feel any kind of peace because the Lord promises that you will not be judged because of your faith?  One of the most comforting verses for all Christians is Romans 8:1 where Paul says that “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”.  You are free because of your faith.  Jesus even said that in John 8:31-32 that reinforces John 5:24: “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”.  Don’t you want to stand up, lift up your arms and praise almighty God for these words of personal freedom because of your choice to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?