John 8:51 “I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he or she will never see death.”
Death is horrible.
Have you ever been with someone when he or she died? I was the sole person with my grandma when she died. That is a full and emotional story for me. But we all know that once a person dies, you will never see him or her again in this world. However, Jesus here makes a historic claim. Jesus claims that if anyone keeps His word, he or she will never see death.
The people Jesus addressed were not listening to Him, rather they were in the mode of refuting Him. So rather than pondering His statement, they immediately rejected His statement, assuming that He was talking about physical death.
Yet Jesus was talking about spiritual death.
Earlier in the book of John, there is the record of Jesus talking with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. Within that conversation, Jesus gave a great revelation: “God is spirit” (John 4:24). This one fact clarifies numerous questions about God. For example, why are scientists unable to view God even though they have invented incredibly powerful telescopes? The reason is that the nature of God is superior to this world of matter, a world in which we people have limitations. God is spirit. God is infinite.
And, since human beings were made in the image of God, which is revealed early on in the book of Genesis, we have a spirit as the core of our being.
Thus when Jesus said: “…if anyone keeps my word, he or she will never see death,” He was talking about spiritual death, more specifically, death of a person’s soul. You could also phrase it as death of a person’s spirit.
We all physically die. The oldest person I have ever met was a woman named “Faith” who was 102. But she physically died a year later. Who is the oldest person you have met?
The incredible revelation by Jesus here is that eternal life is available!
Now the more I read what Jesus taught, the more I realize that keeping the word of Jesus sounds impossible. ‘Do not lust?’ ‘Do not be angry with your brother?’ Fact is, the dreamy truth of eternal life all starts with Jesus.
Jesus died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone. Jesus took our punishment of spiritual death on the cross. If you believe in Jesus, you will be forgiven, and you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. The result is that you will be enabled to keep the “word” of Jesus and obey His teachings. We are all human, and we people make plenty of mistakes. Yet submitting to the Holy Spirit will result in continued improvement in your heart. You will be able to live a life of holiness.
Tragically, this world will continue to be full of physical death until God carries out Judgment Day. Yet if you believe in Jesus, you will have eternal life!!! Even today, you have the invitation to believe in Jesus!!!
Hunter Irvine
Scripture Love Blog
