John 3:16 is nothing more than salvation in a nutshell. Most people get this idea on a very human level, never contemplating the total ramifications of what is said here. It’s more than a good slogan for a sign at a football game, or the answer to every Sunday School question. It is the total design for what God’s love is.
When I speak to kids about salvation or God’s love, this is the verse I start with. No other verse in the Bible can I use to more accurately describe God’s love and plan for us than with John 3:16. I start with that God loved us, the world, you, me, and everyone. Not the way we love but with a love that brought a great cost. Think about the single most important thing that you cherish and love above all else here on this earth. Now give it away, sacrifice it for someone who will spit on you, reject you, use your name in vain and deny your very existence. That is what God did; He gave His son, Jesus. But in essence gave Himself, to come out of heaven and live here with us in this fragile form of man. He did this so that we would know that He knew exactly what we felt; the suffering, the hunger, the thirst, the temptation, the hurt, and the loneliness. Also not only that He gave His son but His only son! Though the first part of the verse is a lot to swallow it is the second part I think people truly don’t get, and that is the simple idea of belief, faith, and trust. Jesus simply tells us here that if you believe then you will be saved. You won’t have an eternal separation from God, but that you will have an everlasting life, one spent eternally with God. People think that it’s not that easy and it is because they don’t understand how truly large this love is. Then some people say they believe, but do their actions tell the same story? This belief, faith and trust that we are to have here is not just a haphazard feeling that is brought out of a fear of not wanting to go to hell but is a lifestyle of wanting to love, serve and live for a God who loves us more than anything.
People see this verse as something that is written to be memorized and used at the right time to help others know the Lord, which is good. But the truth is that they never truly understand the depth that is contained in those words and the saving power that Christ spoke with. These are His words and they alone can save if you just open up your ears and listen. This verse says that if you believe in the Son then you are saved. So if you believe in Him isn’t that trusting the words that he says, wanting to be more like Him every day, loving Him for the gift He gave, spending time to build your relationship with Him, wanting to be less like the world and despise the sin that He despises? Or do you believe so you can escape the punishment for your sin? 1 John 2:3 (HCSB) “This is how we are sure that we come to know Him; by keeping His commands.” The commands are simple love God the most above all else and love everyone else as yourself.
We come to know Him by believing. But what does your belief stem from? Fear of hell or love for God?
No comments:
Post a Comment