Week #14 Light in the Darkness John 3:17-21 Presented Live on January 22, 2017 I. Introduction and review A. Last week we studied john 3:14-16, which contains the best known verse in the Bible 1. We determined that the reason for using the snake as a symbol on the cross was that Jesus had to take on and die for the sins of the world B. In these verses there were two doctrinal points which we stressed 1. Jesus died for the entire world, not just a small group of people that is His sacrifice of Himself was to pay the sin debt of everyone who ever has lived or who ever will live 2. Salvation is open to all, that s why John wrote whosoever believes 3. The salvation which Jesus offers has always been open to all who are willing to receive it Page 1 of 12
C. That brings us to the passage we will look at today II. Jesus now speaks of judgment and salvation [3:17] A. In the context of this verse, for what purpose did Jesus not come into the world? 1. Did he not come for judgment or salvation? 2. But what is the correct word to use: Judge or Condemn a. Judgment is a word that speaks of determining a question one way or the other b. When you speak of a judgment the speaker does not know what the judge will do c. Condemnation, on the other hand, speaks of solely negative results of a judgment 3. The Greek word used here can be translated as either judgment or condemnation a. kri,nw krino {kree'-no} Meaning: 1) to separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose 2) to approve, esteem, to prefer 3) to be of opinion, deem, think, to be of opinion 4) to determine, resolve, decree 5) to judge 5a) to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong 5a1) to be judged, i.e. summoned to trial that one's case may be examined and judgment passed upon it 5b) to pronounce judgment, to subject to censure 5b1) of those who act the part of judges or arbiters in matters of common life, or pass judgment on the deeds and words of others 6) to rule, govern 6a) to preside over with the power of giving judicial decisions, because it was the prerogative of kings and rulers to pass judgment 7) to contend together, of warriors and combatants 7a) to dispute 7b) in a forensic sense 7b1) to go to law, have suit at law b. The ESV, KJV & NKJV translate the word condemn c. While the NASB and NLT translate it judge d. The idea here I believe is condemnation not judgment e. Jesus didn t need to come into the world to judge it, for it was already under condemnation Page 2 of 12
III. 4. Instead, Jesus came to bring salvation B. And His purpose and goal of coming to the earth was the salvation of mankind 1. Save sw, zw sozo {sode'-zo} Meaning: 1) to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction 1a) one (from injury or peril) 1a1) to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health 1b1) to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue 1b) to save in the technical biblical sense 1b1) negatively 1b1a) to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment 1b1b) to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance C. The word translated might is such where in English the reader would understand it to mean maybe yes, maybe no D. But in the Greek understanding this word is indicative of the concept of design or plan 1. God s desire, His design and His plan is for the salvation of mankind 2. Consider II Peter 3:7-10 3. II Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. Now Jesus speaks of the timing of the condemnation of mankind, which chooses not to believe [3:18] A. If one believes, there is no condemnation for him (see Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.) B. If one is condemned, the basis of that condemnation is their choice not to believe C. When does that condemnation occur? 1. It occurs long before the decision is made by the individual not to believe 2. That would mean that Jesus would have to know long beforehand, who would believe and who would not Page 3 of 12
3. Did He know beforehand who would believe and who would not? 4. In what time frame? 5. There is an important distinction that has to be made here a. One can know what will happen in the future because he has willed it to happen, or b. One can know what will happen, not because he wills it but that he simply knows what will happen c. An idea to help us understand may be the example of someone from today going back in time to October 1, 2016 (1) They would foreknow that Donald Trump would be elected president on November 8, 2016 (2) Not because he wills it so, but because he just knows what will happen 6. Consider now Romans 8:29-30 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. a. Foreknow proginw,skw proginosko {prog-in-oce'-ko} (1) Meaning: 1) to have knowledge before hand 2) to foreknow 3) to predestinate (2) Origin: (a) (b) pro, pro {pro} Meaning: before ginw,skw ginosko {ghin-oce'-ko} Meaning: 1) to learn, to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel 1a) to become known 2) to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of 2a) to understand 2b) to know 3) Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman 4) to become acquainted with, to know Page 4 of 12
(3) Grammar: The aorist tense is characterized by its emphasis on punctiliar action; that is, the concept of the verb is considered without regard for past, present, or future time. There is no direct or clear English equivalent for this tense, though it is generally rendered as a simple past tense in most translations. b. Predestine proori,zw proorizo {pro-or-id'-zo} Meaning: 1) to predetermine, decide beforehand 2) in the NT of God decreeing from eternity 3) to foreordain, appoint beforehand c. Call kale,w kaleo {kal-eh'-o} Meaning: 1) to call 1a) to call aloud, utter in a loud voice 1b) to invite 2) to call i.e. to name, by name 2a) to give a name to 2a1) to receive the name of, receive as a name 2a2) to give some name to one, call his name 2b) to be called i.e. to bear a name or title (among men) 2c) to salute one by name d. Justify dikaio,w dikaioo {dik-ah-yo'-o} Meaning: 1) to render righteous or such he ought to be 2) to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered 3) to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be e. Glorify doxa,zw doxazo {dox-ad'-zo} Meaning: 1) to think, suppose, be of opinion 2) to praise, extol, magnify, celebrate 3) to honour, do honour to, hold in honour 4) to make glorious, adorn with lustre, clothe with splendour 4a) to impart glory to something, render it excellent 4b) to make renowned, render illustrious 4b1) to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged f. This passage speak of the salvation of sinners g. But it speaks of the process of that salvation from God s point of reference Page 5 of 12
7. It might be easier to understand if we consider the sequence going from the end to the beginning a. Each believer will be glorified, because they were justified b. Each believer was justified, because he had been called c. Each believer was called, because he had been predestined d. Each believer was predestined by God, because he was foreknown e. Being foreknown by God is the beginning of our salvation (1) Does foreknow in this context mean to predestine? (2) No, because that would render the next verb meaningless and useless (3) So if God foreknew us, what did He foreknow? (4) Many scholars who believe differently about this subject than I do, will tell you no one can know the mind of God (5) So even if this word does not mean to predestine, we can never know what the foreknowledge of God really was (6) I would agree that there are innumerable instances where we cannot know the mind of God (7) But are there any circumstances where we can know the mind of God? (8) And here, can we know the mind of God when it comes to whether or not He wants any human beings to perish? (9) Yes we can know the mind of God, when He shares it with us on the matter (10) Can we know the mind of God on the question as to whether or not God wants any humans not to be saved (see II Peter 3:9) 8. The key question then is what information did Jesus foreknow Page 6 of 12
on which He based His decision to predestinate? 9. And the answer to that is: who the whosoever are going to be, that is who will chose to believe D. That is one of the key messages of John 3:17-18, it tells us the foreknowledge of God on this question E. But a second important thrust of these verses is that everlasting life, a life that is free, incorruptible, and inexhaustible, is offered to all who receive it through faith. IV. The basis for condemnation of non-believers [3:19-21] A. As Jesus starts to conclude His conversation with Nicodemus, He wants more than anything else to help him to see the connection between faith and salvation 1. Snake bitten Israelites could escape certain death by simply trust in God s promise of salvation 2. Because the remedy that God offered to His people back in Numbers 21, was so accessible and free, no one could complain that God was condemning them to death by His refusal to remove the snakes 3. In fact, it was clear, that on would only suffer death by choosing a. Either not to believe God s promise, b. Or by simply refusing to accept His grace B. Jesus then explains to Nicodemus that it is men s love of darkness rather than Light that is the reason for their refusal to believe C. He also answers the question of why men disbelieve D. Jesus related to His new pupil, that men choose to disbelieve as a result of their love of the darkness 1. Moreover, their love of darkness leads them not only to shun the light but to hate it 2. These men choose to live in ignorance, error, superstition and/or rebellion, in order to avoid the light 3. They will at times go so far as to attempt to destroy the light E. Nicodemus was a man who personified religion 1. His religious beliefs had at their core that obedience would Page 7 of 12
bring salvation 2. And yet obedience, by itself, was impossible 3. And his religious beliefs led to either hypocrisy or despair 4. Most religionists fail to realize that religion is really nothing more that faith in itself, that is hoping in one s ability to be good enough to satisfy God 5. Unfortunately, humanity is chronically religious 6. And most people opt for religion over regeneration F. Now recall that Nicodemus came to Jesus under the cover of darkness G. Key considerations for our time 1. Some say I can t believe in God or that He exists because of what He would have done a. I have this loved one: a child, spouse, parent, or asibling, or even me to whom this horrible thing happened, how can a God of goodness, love, mercy and grace have allowed that to happen b. They may even claim they called to God at the time for His help but to no avail c. They just cannot accept that there is a God or at least one who is good 2. Or they may argue that there is no proof that God exists, the world and the human beings who inhabit the earth came into being in a natural way a. They might ask: Have you ever seen God? b. They would also claim that there are valid, natural explanations for every thing you can say God has done or will do 3. In these verses (John 3:19-21) Jesus explains to us why these people really reject God a. Why they claim that their decisions to reject God are emotionally based or intellectually founded? b. And the truth that He can see in their hearts is that they are lying to themselves Page 8 of 12
c. They are not making intellectual decisions or emotional decisions, of even instinctual choices d. They are making a volitional decision, one honoring their own will e. They don t want to admit there is a God because if they did (1) He would have a right to direct their life (2) He would also have the right to make the rules for them to live by and they don t want to, because they want to sin f. In reality, they remain a slave to sin g. Can we really say that they are slaves to sin? (1) See John 8:34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. (2) Romans 6:16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? (3) II Peter 2:18-19 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. V. Final considerations A. Jesus makes it clear to this man, that faith and faith alone, is what saves 1. Look and believe was His object lesson 2. The inward response and the outward action B. Consider the accessibility of faith to all of humanity 1. What could be less complex than belief? 2. What could be more effortless than to trust Page 9 of 12
C. Humanity, unfortunately is chronically religious 1. They set aside simple faith in God, in exchange for something tangible 2. But also something they can control or manipulate 3. The best example of that may be the worship of Nehushtan [II Kgs. 18:4-5], a. As King Hezekiah ascended the throne of Judah circa 720 B.C. b. He destroyed all of the centers of idol worship and places of pagan religious practises c. One such object of destruction was a bronze serpent d. In fact, it was the very bronze serpent that God directed Moses to set up on the hill to save the people from the fiery venom these snakes were injecting into His people when they bit them e. II Kings 18:4-5 He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. 5 He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 2017 - Believer s Bible Class, & Douglas W. Brady Page 10 of 12
Jerry sends you something that truly touched my heart. I hope it touches yours, too. I WISH YOU ENOUGH At an airport I overhead a father and daughter in their last moments together. They had announced her plane s departure and were standing near the door. She said, Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy. They kissed good-bye and she left. He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever? Yes, I have, I replied. Saying that brought back memories I had of expressing my love and appreciation for all my Dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. So I knew what this man was experiencing. Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye? I asked. I am old and she live much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, her next trip back will be for my funeral, he said. When you were saying Page 11 of 12
good-bye, I head to say, I wish you enough. I questioned. May I ask what that means? He began with a smile. That s a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone. He paused for a moment and looking up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more. When we said, I wish you enough, we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with enough good things to sustain them, he continued, and then, turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory. * I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. * I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. * I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. * I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. * I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. * I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. * I wish you enough Hello s to get you through the final Good-bye. He then began to sob, and walked away. My friends and loved ones all, I wish You.... ENOUGH. www.believersbibleclass.com and www.believersbibleclass.podbean.com Page 12 of 12