Do you remember last time we listened in on a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus? We follow up that conversation learning about God’s love in John 3:16-21.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
We left off the previous passage with Jesus asking this question “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” Belief in Son of God = eternal life.
Understand then who the Son of God is… He is the one that God gave up. God gave him up for the world that he loved! He did this so that THROUGH his Son, the world could be saved. All that is required is belief in him. Believe in Jesus, be released from condemnation. Refuse to believe = condemnation. Lack of belief means that the non-believer has already been condemned, nothing will release the non-believer from that.
Jesus, God’s own son. Died. Because of God’s love for the world. He is the conduit that releases us from condemnation. It is only belief in Christ that releases us. NOTHING ELSE.
If we don’t believe in him this is the judgement we face. A love of darkness, a staying in wickedness, a lack of trueness will pervade our beings.
Because you see this “what is true comes to the light”. In the light, things may be clearly seen, our works seen in the light, carried out in God.
It comes down to faith doesn’t it? Will I have faith in Jesus Christ or will I stay in the darkness? Seek the light, or avoid the light.
I’d rather seek the light you know? Even though sometimes the darkness tugs at me… causing me to want to seek my own way, ultimately… I want the light. I want the Lord to see my actions and approve of them. I want condemnation to roll off my back like water does off a duck. I want a faith that is real and true and saving. Don’t you want the same thing? To have a light that is a part of your being chasing the darkness away?
It’s a wonderful thing.
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