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.

 (John 5:24)

For those who believe in Jesus, God’s judgment has already been pronounced. Christians don’t have to wait until the Last Day to find out what God’s heavenly verdict over them is. By faith in His Word, God has already declared them righteous in Christ and justified. The same is true for eternal life. Christians don’t have to wait until the Last Day to get eternal life; the gift of life everlasting is already theirs in Christ. Jesus said the Christian “has passed from death to life”—past tense. To believe in Him is to have eternal life even now, as a present reality, even though we still struggle in this vale of tears, even though our mortal bodies still perish and await their raising. It is a true statement that no Christian ever really dies. Jesus never spoke of any of those who died believing in Him as “dead,” but as “sleeping.” Sleeping, because we will wake up from our mortal graves at His return. Sleeping, because the souls of the faithful departed rest in God, enjoying the pleasures of His eternal presence. In Christ, eternal life is ours today and will be ours forever.