John 3:17

After reading what I wrote last night, Liz pointed out something that she's instructed me to focus in on. In other words, Liz wants me to go past John 3:16 and focus a bit broader by attaching John 3:17 as well. This my friends is a huge step!

Let's dive into the scripture and see what's going on there:

"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. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

Well there you have it. Verse seventeen then becomes a reiteration of what I was trying to explain in the last post. It isn't that God let Jesus suffer for us to be sufferers ourselves, but more as a way to bring us into salvation. Basically, Jesus is THE ultimate superhero. Think about it, he saves not just some people from a burning place, but ALL who accept Him. The Bible, when looked through this lens, then becomes a form of large love poem. God has really been putting it on my heart to write about this feeling: LOVE. The Beatles had it right when they said that "love is all you need". When love is God, who could argue with that claim? I know I can't.

But it isn't just the love that is a part of being a Christian. It's loving unconditionally. How many people can say they do that? I know how hard it is for all of us to see a wife beater or child molester and think "we have to love them too?" I hate to say it, but yes we do. That doesn't mean getting them acquitted and letting them babysit your two year old. No not at all. But trust in the power of God. The scriptures say that Jesus made Judas the treasurer of the Apostles even though He knew that he was a thief.

Wow! That's love. God puts so much love and faith in us when we don't even see it in ourselves. Instances like this verify John 3:16-3:17. Jesus looked in the very eyes of his betrayer, put faith and love in him even though He knew he would die because of his deception. His love expands all generations, and I feel that I'm being told by the Spirit to say not just generations but His love of His children forgives anything.

Isn't that the essence of being sent into the world and not condemning it? He forgives anything, and nothing fazes Him.

Need proof? Ask me of the stupid things that I've done in my life sometime.

As always, I love you friends, and if you ever need me I check my e-mail 50 times in a day: matthewsrs2@gmail.com