“Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he shall never see death.” John 8:51 (Read John 8:51-59)
Jesus’ words to His fellow Jews echo His words in John 5 and John 11. Jesus told the Jews in John 5:24: “Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life.” In John 11:25-26, Jesus said to Martha when her brother Lazarus had died: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”
What does this mean? It means that the one who trusts in Jesus Christ as God’s Son and His Savior will not suffer eternal death and damnation. Though believers may die physical or temporal death and their bodies be placed in the grave, they will not die spiritually or eternally.
At death, God’s angels carry their souls into heaven to be with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. On the Last Day, when Christ returns, He will bring their souls with Him, raise up their bodies as glorified heavenly bodies, and they will, according to both body and soul, dwell forever with the Lord Jesus.
St. Paul wrote to the Philippians: “For to me, to continue living is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the body, this will mean fruitful labor to me. Yet I do not know what I shall choose. I am in a difficult position between the two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the body is more needful for your sake” (Phil. 1:21-24; cf. Luke 16:22-23; Rev. 6:9-11: 7:9-17).
To the Thessalonians, St. Paul wrote: “But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and arose again, so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall be forever with the Lord.” (1 Thess. 4:13-17; cf. Phil. 3:20-21; 2 Cor. 5:1-9; 1 Cor. 15:1-58).
Jesus called upon His hearers — and He calls upon us today — to hear and believe His words, to believe He is the eternal Son of God who came into this world a true man to redeem us by His perfect atoning sacrifice, to turn from our sinful ways, and to look to Him and His cross for pardon, forgiveness, and life eternal.
As Jesus said, those who keep His saying and look to Him for pardon and forgiveness will not see death — they won’t be condemned to eternal damnation in the fires of hell but have passed from death to life. At death, their souls will be carried by God’s angels into the presence of Abraham and all the saints who have looked to Christ for mercy, and on the Last Day, their bodies will be raised up as glorified and heavenly bodies and reunited with their souls, and they will dwell forever with the Lord!
Grant that I hear and believe Your words, dear Lord Jesus, so that I may share in Your victory over death and live in Your presence forever. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible, Modern English Version, Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.]