Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word

and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life,

and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life

Jn 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

Whenever Jesus meant to emphasize a certain important truth, he introduced it with the words: “Amen, amen, I say to you”, or “Truly, truly, I say to you”. It is similar to the words of a judge claiming authority when he delivers a verdict on behalf of the nation. What important truth concerning each of us is Jesus going to say? He speaks about eternal life, death and judgment. These are very serious things, existential and unavoidable. The first truth relates to the present time and eternal life. Jesus says: “has eternal life”. The second truth relates to the future: “shall not come into judgment”. And the third truth relates to the past: “has passed from death into life”.

Jn 4:23: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”

Jesus points out those who worship God in Spirit and truth. What does it mean to worship God in Spirit? It means that a Christian must first receive the Holy Spirit. “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (Rom 8:9) “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” (1Cor 12:3) So if we have received Jesus Christ and become children of God, we must also receive the Holy Spirit by faith like the Apostles. Jesus says: “When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you shall be My witnesses.” (Acts 1:8) If we witness to Jesus, through the power of the Spirit people can receive the saving faith and be saved.

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true

worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;

for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”

Jn 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

You can apply this verse to yourself. For God so loved Andrew that He gave His only begotten Son, that Andrew who believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God loved you so much that He gave His only begotten Son who suffered the most extreme suffering and shameful death on the cross for you and your sins. Could God show His love for you more? How much do you love Him in return? How much do you love the Heavenly Father and how much do you love Jesus Christ who sacrificed His life for your sake?

“But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because

He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should

testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”

“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

But as many as received Him,

to them He gave the right to become children of God,

to those who believe in His name.”

Jn 1:11-12: “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

Jesus is true God. He was born in a humble stable in Bethlehem. His own did not receive Him. The priests, the then theologians, did not receive Him. Simple folk, the apostles, received Him. As many as received Him and believed in His name have become children of God. This is an important truth. To become a child of God, one must receive Jesus and believe in His name.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Rom 8:37: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Verse 37 is a continuation of verses 35 and 36 which speak about unity with Jesus and readiness to suffer or even die for His sake. Reading the lives of saints and martyrs, we can see that they put these words into practice, and they are an example for us to follow. Nothing separated them from the love of Christ. The words about persecution and death and about sheep for the slaughter for the sake of Christ are followed by verse 37: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” These words too were lived by martyrs and saints, whose names we were given at christening in order that these saints may be a model for us. Verse 37 says that in all these things we are more than conquerors and it also says how. Through Him who loved us. Jesus Christ loved us so much that He died for every one of us on the cross at Calvary.

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

“As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long;

we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’”

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress,

or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

Rom 8:35 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress,

or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

Who is God? What is God’s love? We can perceive it by our reason too. God is the Creator of all things visible and invisible. He created me as well. He knows me; He gave me the Spirit of life and earthly life through natural parents. He wants me to be perfectly happy for all eternity. He delivered up His only begotten Son to shameful death for my sake. He wants me to receive His love. The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. There is also human love, which has its strongest expression in the relationship between a mother and child. God’s love is eternal. “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Isa 49:15) God keeps you in His mind. He loves you more than you love yourself. When will God’s love for you end? After a year? After twenty years, fifty years? Never! God’s love for you is eternal. Before God created the universe, He kept you in His mind and loved you. His love never ceases. Unfortunately, to those who reject God it causes eternal torment.

“Who will condemn? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen,

who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”

“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.”