People of Light
One God, One Light – Part II
Scripture Reading: John 5:24-29
Key Verse: John 5:24
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”
I want to end our month’s study of the People of Light with their final destiny.
I have officiated many funerals over my years of ministry. When it was clear that the departed loved one had trusted Jesus and walked in God’s Light, I often said that we knew they were in heaven. That was a true statement, but it was also an incomplete statement.
If we look closely at our Key Verse for today, it reminds us that People of Light cross over to God’s eternal destiny the moment they believe. The New Living Translation might make it a little clearer:
I tell you the truth, those who listen to My message and believe in God who sent Me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. (John 5:24 NLT) (I underlined that last phrase for emphasis.)
From Heaven’s perspective, when a person has heard Jesus’s words, believes them to be true, and believes that Jesus is the Son of God, they pass from death into eternal life in that moment. That person can anticipate seeing and experiencing all that has been given to him the moment he believed.
An example of this kind of anticipation is a young person who has a large inheritance but cannot have it until they are 21 years old. From the day they were old enough to understand how big this inheritance was, they dream about what they would do with it. Whenever this young person has money problems, he simply says “no worries, I’ll be rich someday soon”.
This illustration is a little of what Jesus is trying to convey to those who would trust and follow Him. Jesus told us that the People of Light would have problems in this world (John 16:33). However, our inheritance at the end of this life is so huge, we should be able to say “no worries, I’ll be perfectly healthy and wealthy someday soon, when I go to heaven”.
We can say this because we have already passed from death to life! Most of us have memorized Philippians 4:4:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
I fear that too many of us do not actually rejoice always! Our problems cloud our vision, and we lose the reality of God’s promise to make all things turn out for our good and about our future inheritance.
Most of you reading this devotional are People of Light. May God help us all to live as People of Light and understand the incredible greatness of God’s power that is available for us who believe (Ephesians 1:19a).
Father, I am eternally grateful that I have passed from death into Life because of my faith in Jesus. Grant me the insight and understanding to enjoy all You have promised to those who believe. I ask this in Jesus’s Name, amen.