◄ What Does John 3:19 Mean? ►

John is often called the apostle of love but He is also the Gospel writer that focusses on judgement. John knew that the salvation of mankind was initiated out of love for fallen sinners, but also that judgement is the inevitable result of those who choose to reject His gracious offer of salvation by grace through faith in Christ's sacrificial work at Calvary.

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that You are either one who believes and is saved, or one who does not believe and is condemned. The one who believes does not come into judgement but has passed out of death and into life. However, the one who does not believe is condemned and will be judged. Salvation depends entirely upon one's relationship to Christ; either faith in Him or rejection of Him, and the Bible makes it clear that the outcome is non-negotiable.

The purpose and will of God is that everyone should be saved, and God has done everything possible to bring all mankind into salvation. He did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world. Jesus was sent to the world under the authority of the Father, on a very specific and authoritative mission. He was not sent to judge the world, but to bring everyone to salvation through faith in Him.

To be lost is rebellion against God because it is a condition that God does not want for anyone. God in His grace did everything to ensure that no one would end up in this condition. Sadly, there are those that reject God's free offer of salvation, which is accomplished by faith in Christ's sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. It is a sin to be lost because it contradicts the will of God for all men.

Some people accuse God by arguing that if Christ came into the world to save the world, then why are some condemned? But the answer is simple. Just as the same sun which gives light to the world casts a shadow, so also the Son of God Who shines Light on trusting faith casts the shadow of judgement on rebellious unbelief. The results for those who believe is salvation and eternal life, but there is judgement and condemnation for those who do not believe. The Light of Life, in the Person of Jesus Christ, came into the world to save mankind through faith. But on those who remain in unbelief, the Light of Life, in the Person of Jesus Christ, casts the shadow of condemnation under the cloud of judgement and the terror of eternal death.

The breadth of God's love is universal in its reach, and the purpose of God's salvation is as broad as His love which is to save mankind from condemnation, for it is not God's will that any should perish. But sadly, there are those that do not believe in the love of God, nor do they not obey the will of God, but live in rebellion against God. As a consequence, they sin against God's will and purpose for their life, and remain eternally lost and dead in their sins. To be lost is to trample underfoot every attempt of God to save mankind from sin, condemnation, judgement, and death.

Christ's death is God's gift to save men from perishing, but if man perishes, it is because he loves darkness rather than light; it is because He is evil and his deeds are evil. The one that perishes is in rebellion against the direct will and purpose of God, and the man who perish can never blame God Who has done everything that is possible to save them. The man who is perishing brings the judgement of God and His condemnation upon themselves simply through unbelief.

The man who faces God's righteous judgement has rejected the Love of God, the Grace of God, the Gift of God, and the Light from God. He is in rebellion against the Will of God, the Intent of God, the Purpose of God, and the very Life of God. The man who remains a condemned sinner has brought the Judgement of God, the Condemnation of God, the Wrath of God, and the Punishment of God upon their own heads.

For the Light of God in the Person of Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God came into the world to save fallen men from their sins, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds are evil.

Heavenly Father, thank You that Your will and purpose is to save guilty sinners like me from eternal punishment and judgement. I know that the darkness of sin is enticing and even pleasurable for a season. But I also know that its end leads to death. Thank You that You have shown us clearly the way out of the darkness to eternal life, by grace through faith in Christ, the Light of the world. I pray that many people living in the darkness of sin would realise their desperate need of a Saviour, turn to Christ today and be saved. This I ask in His precious name, AMEN.