1. Jesus Did Not Come To Condemn Anybody
Have you heard that quote before? People say it a lot. In fact Rob Bell says that very thing in one of his best selling videos called "Bullhorn Guy" which I discussed in an earlier post. He uses the argument that "Jesus didn't come to condemn anybody" against preaching about sin.
Where this verse is in Scripture? It appears just after the most famous verse of all, John 3:16. Let’s go there and see if we can find out the context for why Jesus did not come to condemn.
"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. 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. 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 3:16-21)
Jesus did not come to condemn the world because it is already condemned. The condemnation is that sinful men love darkness and hate the light and will not come to the light so that their sinful works will be exposed. Preaching about sin is not what condemns people – their own sin has already condemned them. Preaching about sin, righteousness and judgment is the most helpful thing we can do for people already condemned by a Holy God for their crimes against Him. Jesus did not come to condemn because this whole fallen sinful world is already under God’s wrath as we see later in the same chapter (John3:34).
Conclusion 1: Jesus did not come to condemn because this world is already condemned under the wrath of God.
Continued on Wednesday - Part 3: It's the Kindness Of God That Leads People to Repentance.
Go On To Part 3
Go Back To Part 1
Thursday, April 18, 2024
17 hours ago
1 comment:
I'm going to really enjoy this series. If I hear the same pat answers that so many christians throw out there without any basis, I am going to scream. I'm sure you've heard them all yourself. The very favourite of course is "The bible tells us not to judge", the other one for ignoring or forgiving all sorts of error is the wonderful "You don't know his heart". I wonder if that is the same wicked, deceitful heart the bible tells us we have? Love reading your blog Cameron, keep up the good work.
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