“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24).
As He does in several other places in scripture, Jesus begins His admonition here with an expression that emphasizes the importance of what He has to say: thus, a serious student of the word must take heed.
Hearing Jesus’ word and believing in God qualify one for eternal life, provided the hearer understands the full teaching of these two points. To “hear” His word carries with it the necessity of “hearkening” to what He says.
To “believe” represents conditions that God requires before one can be saved and have the hope of eternal life in heaven. If that were not the case, this passage would conflict with many other New Testament passages—passages that teach that repentance, confession, and baptism are also conditions for salvation.
As we attempt to please God, we must rightly divide the word, always considering the teaching of all passages on a subject before we have the full truth of what God wants us to understand and implement in our lives—and that is the whole truth.
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