Salvation

Daily Reading

“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)

HERE is a great verse on soul salvation. It is a gem from the lips of Christ. Heed this verse and heaven will be yours for eternity. It speaks of the priority of salvation, the prerequisite of salvation, and the product of salvation.

Priority of salvation. “Verily, verily.” This double “amen” (the Greek word translated “verily” gives us our English word “amen”) phrase appears two dozen times in the Gospel of John. This double “verily” means that something is very important. How fitting that Christ should use the double “verily” in regards to salvation, for nothing is so important as your soul salvation. As Christ said elsewhere, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Unfortunately most men choose to give little attention to the most important matter of life. And this neglect of the soul will lead to eternity in hell.

Prerequisite of salvation. “That heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me.” If a person is going to get saved, there are two things he must do. First he must listen to God. If you do not listen to what God says about your soul, you will never get saved. Second, he must believe on God. Salvation is through faith. It is a result of believing what God has said about His Son Jesus Christ. In our day, unbelief is honored by mankind. But God only honors faith. He condemns unbelief. If you persist in your unbelief, you will be condemned to eternity in hell fire.

Product of salvation. “Hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation.” The product of salvation is twofold. First, there is the provision of life. “Everlasting life.” This is the best life and it will never end. Sin says that it is life. But it is death. Salvation is where real life is. Second, there is the protection from condemnation. “Shall not come into condemnation” This protection keeps one from Divine condemnation and, therefore, out of hell forever. No protection is greater.

John G. Butler, Daily Bible Reading: Sermonettes, vol. 2 (Clinton, IA: LBC Publications, 2004), 308.

Reflection

The timing of this post that I'm reflecting on here is interesting. The topic of salvation is fresh on my mind. I have just finished re-writing my notes for my testimony into a shareable version you can read elsewhere on this site. When I read this verse, I can’t help but think of how personal it really is. It’s not just doctrine but a doorway. This was me. These words are what happened the night I accepted Christ. I didn’t just pray a prayer or turn over a new leaf. I passed from death unto life.

Jesus begins with “Verily, verily.” That double amen means, “Pay attention this is important.” And it’s fitting, because there’s nothing in life more important than salvation. We make time for careers, hobbies, finances, entertainment, even rest. But how often do we stop and consider eternity?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you don’t drift into salvation. You don’t stumble into heaven. You hear His Word, and you believe.

Hearing His Word

Christ says, “He that heareth my word.” That’s the first step. You can’t respond to what you’ve never heard.

I think back to all the times Dana “drug me to church.” I didn’t realize it then, but those were moments of mercy. Week after week, God was speaking through Pastor Ruffin’s sermons directly to me. I thought it was coincidence. It wasn’t. It was conviction.

Before anyone comes to faith, they first have to listen. Not just with their ears, but with their heart. God’s Word has a way of cutting through excuses, pride, and noise. You might resist it for a while, but you can’t outrun it forever.

Believing His Promise

The second part is belief: “And believeth on him that sent me.”

Hearing opens the door; believing is stepping through it.

Faith isn’t just agreeing that Jesus exists. It’s trusting that His work on the cross is enough and that He did for you what you could never do for yourself. It’s personal.

When I finally surrendered that night in 2004, I didn’t understand all the theology. I couldn’t quote Scripture by heart. But I believed. And that belief changed everything.

The world tells us to believe in ourselves. But Jesus says, “Believe on Him that sent Me.” Faith is taking your trust off yourself and putting it entirely on Christ.

The Result: Life, Not Condemnation

Jesus says the one who hears and believes “hath everlasting life.” Not “will have”, but “hath.” It’s immediate. Salvation isn’t a process you earn; it’s a position you receive.

That same night I was saved, I didn’t feel “worthy.” I didn’t suddenly become holy or spotless. I was still me but now a renewed and redeemed version. God didn’t just patch up my old life; He gave me a new one.

And with that new life came something equally powerful: protection from condemnation.

Christ says, “Shall not come into condemnation.” That’s not a maybe. That’s a promise.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes since then. I’ve stumbled, lost my temper, doubted, and had to ask forgiveness more times than I can count. But not once have I fallen back under condemnation. Because salvation isn’t based on my performance; it’s anchored in His promise.

Life Worth Living

“Everlasting life” isn’t just about the afterlife. It’s life right now. Real, abundant, purposeful life. Before Christ, I existed. After Christ, I began to live.

Sin pretends to be life, but it always ends in death. Christ takes what’s dead and breathes life into it. That’s what happened to me. That’s what can happen to anyone who believes.

A Final Thought

When Jesus said, “Verily, verily,” He wasn’t just talking to the crowd that day, He was talking to us. Every one of us.

If you’ve already trusted Him, this verse should be a reminder of what’s been done for you. You’ve crossed over. You’ve passed from death unto life. Don’t live like someone still bound in the grave.

If you haven’t yet trusted Him then hear His words, believe His promise, and let Him do what only He can do. He already has a plan for you just like he does for me.