I am sure that there are many people who, though they know of the wonderful love of Jesus in giving His life a ransom for sinners, and have believed in His name, yet are not quite certain that they have eternal life and shall never come into judgment. They are often filled with doubts and fears instead of being filled with joy and peace in believing.
One such person was a young man who went to hear a servant of God preach the gospel, and during the preaching he came by faith to Jesus. He went home feeling very happy.
After a week or two the happy feelings began to get less and less, and he went again to hear the gospel to be reassured of his salvation. At the close of the meeting the preacher asked him, "Are you saved?"
"Ye-es, I am saved—but— "
"Have you got a Bible?"
"Yes, of course!"
"Well, when you get home turn to the gospel of John, 5th chapter and 24th verse, and there you will find three divine certainties. When you have found them, come and see me again, will you?"
The young man said that he would, and they said goodnight to each other.
"Three divine certainties in John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)," the young man kept saying to himself until he reached home. Going straight up to his room, he took out his Bible and began reading John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24), carefully weighing each word.
"Verily — verily — I say — unto — you" (that means me). "he that — heareth — My — Word" (that is what I have heard tonight), "and — believeth — on — Him — that — sent — Me" (I believe on Him), "HATH — everlasting — life."
Hath! Hath! He could hardly believe his own eyes: "hath everlasting life!"
"Have it—have it now!" and throwing himself on his knees, he could do nothing but thank God for this wonderful gift.
After a while he remembered that the preacher had told him of three things and this was only the first one. So he went again to his verse. Soon he came to the words, "And — shall — not — come — into judgment."
"What! No judgment! Oh, praise the Lord! I have everlasting life — shall not come into judgment; and now, what else can there be? What is the third blessing? 'But — is — passed — from death unto life.' Now, at the present time. Praise the Lord! I have eternal life; I shall not come into judgment, and I am passed out of death into life."