Anchor My Faith

The Fork in the Road

Scripture: John 3:35-36

With this lesson we come to the end of gev027. We will begin with: “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand” (John 3:35 ESV). We find this love expressed in John 5:20 (ESV): “For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.” The Father’s love is so great for his Son that he shows him everything he is doing, but his love for us is so great that he was willing to sacrifice his Son for us.

The Father’s love shows all and it also gives all to his Son. If the Father can give all things to Jesus, that indicates supreme authority for the Father and a delegated authority over the whole created universe for the Son. Jesus made reference to this in Matthew 28:18 (ESV): “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”’

Giving all things into his hand makes him ruler of all things. Paul comments on this: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17 NASB). The author of Hebrews comments on this: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3 ESV). How can we not embrace the fact that Jesus is from God and is God and speaks and rules as God? Those from the earth who are not born again do not accept his testimony and do not embrace who he is. One can reject him, but in so doing we eliminate any possibility of access to the grace and truth we so desperately need.

John now concludes this section by saying: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36 ESV). It is Jesus, the Son of God that divides humanity into two groups: those who believe and have eternal life and those who do not obey and remain under the wrath of God. That belief is possible for those who are born again. They are the ones that are able to receive his testimony. In 1 John 5:10 John says: “The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son” (NASB). He who calls God a liar by not receiving his testimony is the one who remains under the wrath of God. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. There is no other. What is your choice? Jesus or some other way that leads to eternal death.

Prayer

Father, Jesus clearly stands out as the one who is qualified to provide our salvation. Thank you for revealing this to us and making it possible for us to accept his testimony. Transfer from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of the beloved Son has been an adventure of discipline and love for me. How I look forward to the adventure continuing on into heaven. Thank you for your mercy and grace that made this salvation possible.