Lenten reflection March 12th

John chapter 5:24 is a mind boggling statement of truth: "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

It has followed me as one the most important and most liberating statements in my life.
Jesus is saying to you and me that if we believe in Him we already have eternal life.
Eternal has an added quality; everlasting means to last for ever, but eternal is also saying something about quality. It is an everlasting life in a divine setting, where God is present.

Think that we have been given the opportunity to taste heaven now and to have started on our heavenly journey. It really puts the rest of our lives in a totally new perspective!

The next statement is just as liberating; “you will not be condemned”.
Guilt and condemnation is the opposite of forgiveness and all of us are carrying a bag full of reasons and actions that burden us with both. For some it is what colours our lives with sadness and can make us sick, and it often is the reason for relational problems. To be forgiven is one of the most powerful things that can happen in a persons life and God has promised us a life in total forgiveness, because Jesus died for our sins.
You are free!!

The third statement of Jesus is equally remarkable: “you have crossed over from death to life”.
In our selves we are living a life that has a natural end, and we are spiritually dead without the redemptive work of Jesus in our lives.
It is a wonderful truth to carry around every day; to know that we walk a life of eternity that has already started. Because of what Jesus did in His suffering, death and resurrection through Easter you can truly say:
“I am alive”!!!

God bless you with true life
Pastor Terje
Gardermoen International Baptist Fellowship
Gardermoen Kristne Fellesskap

John 5:19-29
19Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. 21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

24"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. 25I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. 27And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

28"Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. 30By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

Jeremiah 4:9-10, 19-28*
Romans 2:12-24