In John 5:24, Jesus says, 24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe [trust] in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned, they have already passed from death into life.” This is the most basic expression of the Gospel.

For  “I tell you the truth”,  Read ‘Utmost certainty’.  Like my daddy would say, “You can write it down in your book.”  This is Jesus talking.  Not just any regular human.  He says, “TRUST Him who sent Me.”  What happens when you trust God?  You have eternal life.  When?  Right now.  Starts today.  Not later.  ‘You have passed from death to life.’  It’s a done deal.  It’s a completed action.  It has already happened.

‘They will never be condemned.’  What does that mean?  Never!  It’s a finished act.  What stops the punishment?  Trust in God.

‘They have passed from death unto life.’  That’s permanent eternal life.  How do you receive eternal life?  Trust God.  This verse does not say anything about confessing your sin, or repenting of your sins, or confessing that Jesus is Lord, or being baptized.  It only says ‘trust God’.  To me this indicates how much that ‘trust God’ means to God, and to us.

‘Trust God’ means that we surrender our whole selves to God.  We surrender all that we have done, right or wrong; all that we have, material and personal, emotional and social; all those we love; and most of all we surrender our natural, sinful self; we surrender control of our lives to Him.  We deny ourselves, we die to ourselves, so God can live His life in us.  When we fully trust God, we do confess and repent of our sin(s); we do claim Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and we are baptized in obedience to His command.  But all of those things do not ‘make you right’ with God.  They will not, in and of themselves, ‘reconcile you’ to God, or give you eternal life.  The only thing we can do to ‘get right’ with God is to trust Him.  Trust that He loves you!!! Yes I mean you!!!, enough to send His Son to die as the Sacrifice for you; trust that no matter what happens, God, the Creator and Ruler of the universe, is taking care of you.  Trust.  That’s what seals our relationship with Him.  Just like the verse says, “If you trust in Him who sent Me,    .   .   . You have passed from death unto life.”