Perspectives

John 3:17-21… 17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him, 18) Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19) This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20) Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21) But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (NIV)

The apostil John said that God did not send His Son into the world to say it is guilty. Rather, He sent His Son so the world might be saved from the punishment of sin by Him. We are not guilty when we accept His Son Jesus Christ. Those who reject Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savoir stand guilty.

Jesus Christ is known as the Light of the world by those who have been born again. There are folks who love darkness more than the Light because the things they do are sinful. Everyone who sins hates the Light. They stay away from the Light because their sin would be exposed. Those who have accepted Jesus Christ will come to the light. They will be exposed because they have done what God wanted them to do.

Those who refuse to believe that Christ died for the sins of the entire world stand judged. Condemned by their refusal to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and died to save humanity from their sin. They and they only have decided their own fate.

This is how judgment works: Judgment is the separation between our faithlessness and lack of remorse and the love that Christ brought into the world. This love that Christ was talking about proved to be a great dividing influence in the world because there are folks that are so emotionally involved in a way of life that in the eyes of Christ is evil.

Scripture teaches us that those who do evil things stay away from the Light-Jesus Christ because the evil deed will be exposed. When they make the choice to remain trapped and spellbound in sinful behaviour and refuse to come to Christ, they pass judgment on themselves in their own denial of the choices they have made. But when people are confronted with what Jesus taught, some respond in an incredibly positive way by accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior who removes that future judgment.

Thinking about people we associate with – Christians – believers – does judgment or love affect how we live from day to day? Well, we must remember that Christ has died for all our sins… I do not believe that we have the right to sin willfully. When we do sin, we can humbly come to Jesus to repent of our sin knowing that He will forgive us.

But we do not always come to Christ because we might be involved in, let us say, “A secret sin.” It is in times like that; that the Holy Spirit wants to bring to our attention that what we engage in is sinful.

If unbelievers regard Christ with a sympathetic longing for him there is hope; but if in Christ they see nothing attractive, then they have condemned themselves. Then Christ who was sent in love has now become their judge and judgement they must face.

To God Be the Glory Great Things He Has Done.

Would you pray this prayer with me… “Lord Jesus, come into my heart? Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have the peace in my heart that I yearn for. I really want that Peace, joy and happiness that will fulfill my heart’s desire. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will honour Your Name.” Amen.