Saturday, October 7: John 3- .

Everyone loves John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life, rightly so.  It is a powerful summary of the Gospel message and John 3:17 is a good addition. When memorizing, it is good to keep the two together; For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 

As I continued reading I came across another excellent pair of verses, which also tells the amazing Gospel of Jesus in a few words. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them (35&36).

Verse 35 calls attention to the supremacy of the Son, everything is in His hands. The Father has granted the Son the place above all else. And then in verse 36 we learn that belief in the Son brings eternal life. There it is… the gift of God. Eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

I realize the verse doesn’t use Jesus’ name, but a person cannot read this Gospel and miss the fact that the Son is Jesus. It is spelled out in chapter 1 and carried throughout.

Belief in Jesus is the only path to eternal life.  Anyone who does not put their faith in Jesus is seen as someone who rejects Jesus.  To reject him is to remain under the penalty of sin and therefore covered by the wrath of God.

For the second time in this chapter John explains that belief in Jesus is rewarded with eternal life; without believe we remain under God’s wrath… condemned.

I know many people do not like the exclusivity of these statements. However, I don’t get to pick and choose what I like in the Bible and what I don’t. I choose to believe it all and subject myself to the whole of it.

What about you? Do you believe the Bible? I know there are tough parts to believe and understand, but that is true in many areas of life.

I choose to believe in Jesus and I hope you do as well.

Oh, God, with those sticky difficult areas of faith, help me to hold on with utter tenacity and faith. To believe all Your teachings and Your Words and to remain true to Jesus, Your Son and my Lord. I pray in His name. Amen.