John 5:24
“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.
I love John 5:24. It is a beautiful promise from our Lord. The only thing is you probably have read this verse a ton of times and do not realize that in this instance, the words "
he who hears My word," is in reference to "
obeying His Word."
First, logic dictates that if a person is not seeking to obey the words of Jesus on His righteous instructions (
like His words on the Sermon on the Mount, etc.) they are not really hearing the words of Jesus and or listening to Him. Acts of the Apostles 3:23 talks about how if any man does not hear that prophet, they will be destroyed. This prophet is Jesus according to Acts of the Apostles 3:20-22.
"And it shall come to pass, that every soul,
which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people." (Acts of the Apostles 3:23).
The context of Acts 3 is turning people away from their iniquities.
"...his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." (Acts of the Apostles 3:26).
Second, now it is true, there is an aspect of "hearing" or listening to God's Word in the sense of understanding it. In John 8:47, Jesus essentially says that the Pharisees were unable to hear His words because they were not of God. Why were they not able to understand His words? It was because of their sin. For Jesus said,
43 "Why do you not understand my speech? even because you cannot hear my word.
44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do." (John 8:43-44).
Paul confirms this truth, as well. In 1 Timothy 6:3-4, Paul says,
3 "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing," (1 Timothy 6:3-4).
In other words, the person who does not agree with the words of Jesus and the doctrine according to godliness is proud and knows nothing (i.e. They have no understanding or they are unable to hear God's Word).
Three, the context in John 5 does not support a sin and still be saved type belief (Which most in the church teach these days.), but it supports "
obedience to His Word." Jesus tells the man in whom he healed to
"sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you." (John 5:14) (NASB). Jesus refers to the resurrection of life for believers as having done good, and He refers to the resurrection of damnation for the wicked as having done evil. For Jesus says,
"And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:29).
Four, the context talks about abiding in His words.
"And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not." (John 5:38).
While abiding in His Word is to believe, abiding in His Word would also include putting away sin, too; For David talks about hiding God's Word in his heart so that he may not sin against the Lord.
"Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You." (Psalms 119:11) (NKJV).
In John 15:1-7 is about abiding in Christ and His words.
By abiding in Christ and His words, we will produce fruit or good deeds.
(
Note: Compare the words "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance," by John the Baptist in Luke 3:8 with Acts of the Apostles 26:20 that says, "that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.")
.
Now, let's look at John 15:7-10.
Jhn 15:7 "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Jhn 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Jhn 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
Jhn 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." (John 15:7-10).
John 15:7 talks about how abiding in His words is related to a successful prayer life. Is this important part of one's salvation? According to Scripture... "yes." "Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him." (John 9:31). "The LORD
is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous." (Proverbs 15:29). "He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them." (Psalms 145:19). "He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination." (Proverbs 28:9) (NASB).
John 15:8 talks about bearing much fruit. Do we need to bear fruit (works) as a part of salvation? Yes. John 15:5 says if a man abides in Him, they will bear much fruit. John 15:6 says if any man does not abide in Him, they are cast forth like a branch and burned. Fruits are deeds (Compare again Luke 3:8 vs. Acts of the Apostles 26:20). Paul says, "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny
him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus 1:16). In other words, a person can deny God by a lack of good works. Jesus says of the servant who was over a few things: "His lord said to him, ‘Well
done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’" (Matthew 25:21) (NKJV). Yet, Jesus says this of the unprofitable servant: "And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’" (Matthew 25:30) (NKJV).
John 15:8 talks about being Christs disciples. Is being a disciple a salvation issue? According to Scripture.... Yes, you have to be a disciple to be saved.
Jesus says at another point, "If ye continue in my word,
then are ye my disciples indeed; " (John 8:31).
Jesus also said,
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
(John 8:32).
A part of continuing in His Word and being a disciple ALSO includes one knowing the truth with that truth setting them free.
The Pharisees claim to be in bondage to no man and asked why Jesus is asking them that they should be made free.
"They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
(John 8:33).
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever:
but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
(John 8:33-36).
Verse 34 - Jesus says that whoever commits sin is a servant of sin.
Verse 35 says that this servant of sin shall not abide in the house forever.
Yes, the Pharisees did not even believe in Jesus, but they did look for a Messiah to save them, but it was their sin that prevented them from even seeing Jesus as their Savior and Messiah. Jesus saying that the one who is a slave to sin will not abide in the house forever.
What house is He referring to?
The house of Christ (
or the house of the Son of Man).
For we see in Scripture that the Son of Man will send forth His angels and gather out of
HIS KINGDOM (
Christ's house) all who
offend (
make others to sin - Mark 9:42), and who
work iniquity (
justifying sin or lawlessness), and they will be cast into the
furnace of fire (
the Lake of Fire).
"The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:41-42).
So the servant of sin will not abide in the house of the Son of Man forever on the account of their offenses and iniquity. Christ will gather out of His Kingdom by His angels all who offend and work iniquity and they will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
At the Judgment: Christ needs to gather these wicked servants (the weeds) out of His Kingdom before He gives His Kingdom back to God the Father (See: 1 Corinthians 15:24).
For Jesus was manifested to take way our sins.
"And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin." (1 John 3:5).
"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." (Romans 13:14).
Also, Jesus says,
"And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:27).
Taking up one's cross is a part of losing one's life, and the one who loses their life for His sake [
loses their life for Christ's sake] shall find it [
shall find life eternal], and the one who saves their life
[saves their life in gaining the whole world, i.e. could include fame, or an acceptance of the world in it's sinful thinking, pursuits and ways] will lose it [
lose their life eternally].
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26).
Paul says,
7 "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," (Philippians 3:7-8).
John 15:9 says we have to continue in His love. Paul says if any man loves not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed (1 Corinthians 16:22). 1 John 4:8 says, "He that loves not knows not God; for God is love." Jesus (
who is the Word made flesh) is God (John 1:1) (John 1:14) (Revelation 19:13) (1 Timothy 6:14-15) (Revelation 19:16). Seeing Jesus is God, we need to know Jesus as a part of salvation. Jesus told those believers in Matthew 7:23 that He never knew them and that they were to depart from Him because they worked iniquity (
or sin). For the person who says they know the Lord and yet they do not keep His commandments, they are a liar and the truth is not in them (1 John 2:4). All liars will have their part in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). We need to abide in the Son in order to have eternal life. For 1 John 5:12 says he that has the Son has life, and he that does not have the Son does not have life. This is why we need to abide in Christ and His love. For God is love (1 John 4:8). The apostle John says he that does not love His brother is not of God (1 John 3:10).
John 15:10 says that keeping His commandments is abiding in His love. Jesus said in Matthew 19:17 that if you will enter into life, keep the commandments. Jesus agreed with the lawyer that to love God and love your neighbor is a part of inheriting eternal life (Luke 10:25-28). Revelation 22:14-15 says, "Blessed
are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without
are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."
Note: Keeping Christ's commandments is not keeping the Old Testament Law of Moses as a whole or package deal. The Saturday Sabbath, circumcision, dietary laws, laws on animal sacrifices, etc. are no longer binding under the New Covenant. They have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. We now follow the commands of Jesus and His followers.
For the Law came by Moses, but grace, and truth came by Jesus Christ
(John 1:17).
But the New Covenant does not mean we do not need to obey; We need to trust and obey, like the old church hymn of that very title.
