Assurance of Salvation

John 5:24

LeRoy Eims

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).

If a statement is made, the importance of that statement depends on who said it. For instance, if the mayor of Dallas declared that for the next week the Los Angeles freeways would be closed, it would not affect the L.A. freeways one bit.

Did you ever happen to notice whose words we are quoting in this vital Bible verse? None other than the words of Jesus Himself. The context of this verse tells us that the Father hath committed all judgment unto the Son. So the One who is speaking is the judge of the world.

Jesus said, "Verily, verily, say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice" (John 5:25‑28).

With that in mind, let us give close heed to these remarkable words. They demand careful attention and immediate assent. He says we must hear and believe.

Why do I say immediate assent? Because the Bible says, "Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" (Proverbs 27:1).

So, we must hear, just as the high school student listens to his teacher explain the content of the final exams, as the waitress in the hotel receives the last minute instructions for the banquet of the visiting royalty, and as the parachutist hears for the final time the procedures to follow for his first jump. It is to hear with attentive ears.

We are not only to hear but also to believe, to place full confidence in, to trust, not to merely agree in the sense that we give assent to its truthfulness, but in the sense of total reliance upon that word from Christ. When I board a plane, I am by that act, declaring that I believe that the manufacturer did his job, that the maintenance men did their jobs, and that the pilot and control tower know their jobs. For the next few hours I have surrendered the destiny of my life to those men. So it is with Christ. I surrender the destiny of my eternal soul to Him and Him alone. I trust Him.

When I do that three things happen to me. I am given the gift of eternal life and I have it here and now. Second, I shall never face judgment for my sins. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus." Third, I am passed from a state of eternal separation from God to a place of eternal life with Him. I am passed from death unto life.

Have you heard the word of Christ? Have you turned in repentance and faith to God and placed your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ? If not, do it now.

This vital Bible verse is just one of 60 carefully selected scriptures that are contained in the Navigators Scripture Memory course. If you want to memorize Scripture, but aren't sure what to memorize or how to get started, this is exactly what you need. The Topical Memory System includes memory verse cards in four different Bible versions - NIV, KJV, NASB, NKJV. Topics include all of the basics of the Christ-centered Spirit-filled life, sharing your faith, and growing on to maturity in your walk with God. May God bless you as you fill your life with His Word.