You Will Pass from Death to Life

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life.

(John 5:24)

I am so thankful that God was patient with me. As I look back, I remember so many times when he must have protected me from my own stupidity. My rebellion began as a teenager and lasted until I was in my forties. That’s a long time for God to be patient but he was, just the same. At any time during that period of my life, God could have left me to my fate. Several of those instances could have led to serious injury, even my death.

It was like being hit with a bolt of lightning the evening I actually heard the words of Jesus and let them sink in. I had heard them before in my youth and by a few people trying to get me to see the light but that evening, my heart understood the words. It was only an hour long talk from an evangelist up on a stage. They were strange words, not in the sense that I’d never heard them before. They were strange because, for the first time in my life, they convicted me.

In one short evening, I went from totally believing my actions had no eternal consequence, to knowing, with all my heart, that I had been forgiven. I knew absolutely nothing about scripture or sound doctrine, but I had an insatiable appetite to learn. In every free moment you would find me reading the Bible. I started with the gospels, reading them all at least four or five times. That’s where I learned the most about Jesus. I went on to the Epistles where I learned about sound doctrine.

Through all, I know that I had to come to a point in my life where I could hear the Word of God and understand it. My only regret is that it took me so long. If you are like I was, in rebellion against God, then give an ear to the truth of the gospel of Christ. You don’t have to have the same regrets as I do. If you know someone who is like I was, pray their hearts will be softened. I know someone was praying for me.

For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh but serve one another through love.

(Galatians 5:13)

You, Father God, are the light of our universe. We praise you for your willingness to forgive our many trespasses. You have even forgotten all the wicked thing we’ve done after you forgive us. Jesus pulled us out of the darkness and servitude to sin, so that we might be free to live righteous lives. When we’re tempted to think of your forgiveness as a free ticket to sin without consequence, please smack us one, upside the head. Help us to remember, we are not free TO sin, we are free FROM sin, and all the baggage that goes with it. When we think back to our lives before Christ, we didn’t see the need to help anyone, because no one would help us. Thank you, Father, for giving us the freedom to be able to help others without expecting a reciprocal effort on their part. We are free from those feelings of betrayal when a favor is not returned. We don’t have to feel bad when someone we’ve helped doesn’t pat us on the back. Thank you, God, for that freedom from selfishness. In Jesus’ name, Amen!