October 24, 2023 – Tuesday
John 3:18-19 NKJV
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:18-19 NIV
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.
Comments
The two verses above immediately follow the two verses discussed yesterday, namely John 3:16-17, 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
I briefly mentioned 3:18 yesterday to show the real need of God’s love as our sins (each of us) had separated us from God’s love and condemned us. This made clear that Jesus had no need to condemn anyone, we were all already individually condemned. Thus, the end of verse 17, that the world through Him might be saved. Knowing this, verse 18 makes a great deal of sense, 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Our condemnation ends when we believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Sounds so easy, but as many have discovered, it is not. It requires giving up one’s pride and arrogance. The arrogance of thinking and believing we know better than God how one should live. Or as the next verse tells us, we may be among those that reject Jesus because we prefer our life of sin, 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
Never has the choice been made so clear. Choose God’s grace or choose to continue in a life of sin. One leads to life in heaven, the other to life in hell. Hard to imagine people would choose hell, but verse 19 tells us some will, 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Jesus makes this choice clear in John 11:25, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
The choice we are given here is what this is about. God’s love for us is so great we are given the opportunity to choose heaven over hell if we will give up our love of darkness. As quoted yesterday in 1 John 2:2, And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Bottom Line: Grace is ours if we will but give up our pride and arrogance. Believing in the name of Jesus and following Him is the best decision we can make.
Prayer: Almighty God, Your love and mercy overwhelm me. I do not understand as it is literally beyond my comprehension, but I am so very grateful. Thank You for Your Son Jesus who makes it possible for me to know your love and mercy. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Still writing and working for the Glory of God