John 5:24-27 (WEL) “Very truly I say to you, ‘He who is listening to my word and believing in him who sent me has everlasting life and will not come into condemnation but has passed from death to life.’ 25 “Very truly I say to you, ‘The time is coming and already here when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice, and those who hear will live.’ 26 “For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has given the Son to have life in himself. 27 “And has delegated to him authority to pass judgment as well, because he is the Son of Man.
V24 “Very truly I say to you, ‘He who is listening to my word and believing in him who sent me has everlasting life and will not come into condemnation but has passed from death to life.’
Two things are needed for regeneration: 1) listening (hearing the message) and 2) believing God’s message (faith).
God is able to get the Gospel to anyone, even those who never hear a human preacher, writer, speaker, etc.
Those who believe have two things: 1) everlasting life and 2) no condemnation (Lake of Fire, hell).
Those who believe in Jesus alone have a new creation in their soul and spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17). We also have justification, that is, the declaration/verdict of righteousness (Romans 8:1).
To be in Christ is to believe and trust Him, identify with Him, and be united with Him in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:14, 1 Corinthians 12:27, and Ephesians 4:12).
V25 “Very truly I say to you, ‘The time is coming and already here when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice, and those who hear will live.’
Jesus has life in Himself. He can create from nothing, recreate what is spiritually dead (separated from God), and He can take somebody down and execute the death penalty (Genesis 38:7, Genesis 38:10, and Acts 5:5-10).
The context here shows this refers to the new birth as Jesus taught Nicodemus in John 3.
The Greek word for hear is G0191 ἀκούω akouō, which means hearing from physical hearing to spiritual hearing. It can mean revelation or responding to a call or message. The range can be physical hearing, listening closely, obeying (hearing the command), and/or to learn by hearing.
Comments:
(Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Abridged – Little Kittel)) The NT revelation, too, is a word or message. We receive what Jesus did and said by hearing (cf. Mark 4:24; Matthew 11:4; Luke 2:20; Acts 2:33; 1 John 1:1).
(AMG’s Comprehensive Dictionary of New Testament Words) To listen to, to understand, to learn > The mother and the brothers of Jesus are those who hear the word of God and do it (Luke 8:21); they are blessed (Luke 11:28). Mary of Bethany was sitting at Jesus’s feet and hearing His word (Luke 10:39). The sheep of Jesus hear His voice (John 10:3, 16, 27).
V26 “For just as the Father has life in Himself, so He has given the Son to have life in Himself.
Jesus reveals His deity. He is God since He has the incommunicable character trait of God—the principle of life to create from nothing. God the Father has this and so also the Son. This is the essence of God that God is one God in three persons all having the same essence: 1) God is a spirit, 2) incommunicable character traits of God, and communicable character of God (that He also gives to humans as compassion, anger, reason, love, etc.).
V27 “And has delegated to him authority to pass judgment as well, because he is the Son of Man.
God is a delegator. God the Father delegated authority to judge.
Principle: What God delegates to us, we must do.
We learn:
- More doctrine about God.
- Jesus is God.
Questions:
- Have you heard and believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
- Do you believe that Jesus is God?