“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. [John 5:25-27 ESV]
I find it so interested how Jesus' words have a double meaning in this passage.
He speaks of a time that when we are alive, then of a future time after we die.
He speaks of those who have died physically hearing the voice of God.
There seems to be a difference between the two.
Those who hear before they die will be resurrected to life.
Those who refuse to hear Him in this life will not be able to hear him after death.
Those who hear before they die will be resurrected to life.
Those who refuse to hear Him in this life will not be able to hear him after death.
I think that the word hear (akousousin) is best translated comprehend.
Comprehension is more than simply hearing what someone says.
It involves being open to the voice of the one who is speaking.
In that sense, eternal life is about being open to hear God's message.
It is desiring to comprehend what the Holy Spirit is saying to us.
And when we he truly hear, we experience the life and love of God.
In contrast, those who have do not have eternal life now never comprehend.
These are not able to comprehend because they are not open to hearing.
Sadly, these have nothing in them that will survive death.
Thank you Lord for the day when I heard your voice.
... this devotion is part of the Red Letters series. Click here to read more.
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