Passed from death to life
What does it mean that believers have passed from death to life (John 5:24)?
In John 5:24, Jesus makes a striking statement about the nature of eternal life: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life” (ESV).
Jesus’ teaching that we have passed from death to life means that we have been brought out of a state of spiritual death and brought into the life of God in Christ (see Colossians 2:13). At one time we were alienated from God, the Source of Life, but now we are joined to Christ and enjoy communion with God (see Ephesians 4:18).
The verb has is present tense, signifying present possession of eternal life. In other words, eternal life is a present reality—a gift bestowed upon believers the moment they place their trust in Christ (see John 3:16).
While the full blessings of eternal life await believers in the eschatological future, the present possession of it is not a mere theological abstraction. It is, in fact, partially realized and significantly experienced in the here and now (2 Corinthians 5:17). The truth that believers have passed from death to life points toward a future reward in heaven, but it also significantly impacts our present lives, creating a tension between the “already” and the “not yet.”
Although believers still navigate the challenges of living in a fallen and broken world, they have been given a foretaste of things to come (Romans 8:23; 2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5; Ephesians 1:14). We have already passed from death to life, but we do not yet see the implications of that life in all its glory.
The assurance of eternal life is more than a comforting thought; it fundamentally changes our perspective on the last judgment. Instead of fear and trepidation, we can face judgment with boldness and confidence because we have passed from death to life.
The connection between belief in the atoning work of Christ and confidence on judgment day is found throughout the New Testament. For example, 1 John 5:11–12 says, “This is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (ESV). The implication is that the one who does not have the Son remains spiritually dead and subject to eternal punishment (cf. John 3:36).
The confidence that believers have is not based on personal merit; rather, it is firmly anchored in the finished work of Christ: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19). Belief in Christ, then, assures us of eternal life, and this profound truth undergirds our stance before God.
Those who are justified by faith are eternally secure, knowing that Christ’s substitutionary death guarantees their salvation from God’s impending wrath (Romans 5:1–11). This hope is not naïve optimism or wishful thinking but a steadfast assurance firmly rooted in the unchanging promises of God.
The Christian’s assurance is not passive; it is a resilient hope that thrives amidst the trials of life. We can “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3–5)
Having passed from death to life by God’s grace, we stand on the firm foundation of Christ’s finished work. We can face the judgment with confidence in the eternal promises of God. This assurance is a wellspring of comfort, hope, and motivation for living out the will of God in the here and now.
