Anchor My Faith

Save Not Condemn

Scripture: John 3:17

After twelve lessons related to John 3:16, it is time to move on to the next verse: “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” (John 3:17 ESV). This verse tells us what God did not do, followed by what he did. God looked at us and knew we were condemned in our sin and needed a savior, not a judge. We have broken God’s law and already stand guilty and in all fairness we should be condemned to an eternity in hell under the wrath of God, but he sees our need and out of love for us he sends his Son into the world to provide our salvation. From this sinful world population will come the Church, the bride of Christ. When this bride is complete, the Son will return to judge the world.

In lesson H118, we considered who the Son was. In this lesson we will focus on the meaning of sent; God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Again and again, John speaks of Jesus being sent. For example, in John 3:34-36: “. . . whom God has sent . . .”; in John 5:19 – 26: “. . . Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him . . .”; in John 6:40: “. . . the will of my Father . . .”; In John 14:13: “. . . that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”; John 17:1: “. . . Father, the hour has come . . .”

There is a relationship between the messenger and the sender. We see this when looking at John 13:16, 20 (ESV): “Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him . . . Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” The messenger is sent and is not greater than the sender, but the messenger in turn sends out his disciples as messengers. The process continues to where you and I are the messengers, who are to make disciples to send out as messengers.

The Father started the process by sending his Son, who took on flesh as Jesus, with a message to suffer and die to purchase our salvation. Jesus then prepares disciples who are sent with a message, who also suffered and some died. Those disciples made more who went with a message to make disciples to be sent. With maybe rare exception, those sent, who are truly obedient, will suffer and many will die in the process. We are not the rare exception here in America. We simply are not obedient and the state of the church and our country is testimony to that fact.

In our next lesson we will compare John 3:16 with John 3:18. It is an interesting comparison.

Prayer

Father, thank you that we no longer stand guilty before you because of our sin. Lord Jesus, thank you for taking our place and setting us free of guilt. Thank you, Father, for sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in us as your children as assurance of our salvation.