The World Condemnation and It's Salvation

"For God so loves the world." The famous verse of the book of John that we all know. He loved his creation so much that he gave his son for everyone to have eternal life and break the curse of sin.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:16-18

Jesus tells Nicodemus to be led by the spirit, in full confidence that he will take us where we need to be and that He was worth following as he was the Son of Man, who was meant to be the bridge between a fallen world full of suffering and the full redemption of all things as we know them. 

No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. John 3: 13-15

Following the beginning of the book, he was with God from the beginning. He comes from heaven, and all was created through him. Now, the King of Kings will be lifted as the serpent was lifted to heal the Israelites on the desert (killed on a cross) to bring eternal life to all.

Just to state the obvious and not spiritualize what does not need to be spiritualized, John later in his life received a vision on Patmos about the same Son of Man (Revelation 1: 9-20), this time revealed clearly as Jesus. This was Jesus's preferred title and was used by him possibly more times than any other title.

For us to understand fully what his death on the cross meant for us and the world, we can not miss what many Christians miss nowadays and we need to pause and reflect at least partially on what this title involves. Jesus is making reference to Daniel 7.

 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14

Daniel receives a vision of the end of all things and the coming day of salvation and justice, the day to make all things right once again. For him, a Jewish man, this represents the promise that God made to Abraham and the covenant sealed with blood.

Through Abraham's obedience, all nations are blessed, but the story of that promise finishes with the blessing of the original recipients of the promise, the Jews. Our salvation, the world's redemptive story, is tied to a promise that God made, and he is perfectly capable of keeping this promise. If not how could we have confidence that he can keep any other promise? It is not just a spiritual salvation promise, but one that involves very tangible physical perks, a messiah that comes from Abraham's lineage, a nation, and a land.

 ...to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. Romans 9: 4-5

Much more to be said on this but I am trying to make this reflection short.

The world, in return, loved darkness and not his light; it ran as far away from Him as possible; they killed the one he sent to save us, his own son; WE crucified him, I spit and bit him, YOU denied him, we are all condemn and destined to eternal life without him.

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. John 3:19

That, unless We recognize him as King, I repent from my sin, YOU acknowledge him as savior, and then we ALL may live free. We, indeed, can live life as free men and not slaves of sin.

There is one thing left for all of us to do: not just say, "I do follow Him," but to live under his light and let his light shine on our darkest areas so we can, step by step, be more like him.

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. John 3:20-21