These are hopeless days for lots of people. The economy is getting worse. People are losing their jobs. They can’t afford homes. They can’t afford health care. Everybody is scared of the swine flue. We’re selling our country to China. There is no end in sight to the war in Iraq. Terrorism is a constant threat. So is crime.
So we have a lot to be thankful for.
Wait. What?
Look at Zacharias in Luke 1:67-79 to see what I mean. Here’s a man who loses his job (a priest without a voice is not a priest) and can’t explain why to his wife. At least, not with words. And not only that, but as with all Jewish people about 2000 years ago in Israel, they were heavily taxed by the oppressive Roman government. We can’t say for sure, but I have to wonder if Zacharias lost his home (They say John grew up in the wilderness. Why, if he had a home?) And on top of it all, he’s got a son coming. And Zacharias, if he is as old as he says, probably won’t be around long enough to see John reach adulthood.
Yet as we read what Zacharias says, he praises God for what God is about to do in and for Israel through his son, John. Things are not great for Zacharias, but he sees a glimmer of light. In verses 78-79, he talks about the morning light that is about to break upon those who sit in the darkness of the shadow of death. He is talking about himself and all those in Israel who are in similar situations. Also, he is quoting from Psalm 107, which is about how to give thanks to God, even in the midst of misery and despair. Psalm 107 lays out four different groups of people who are facing misery, despair, and even death. When they cried out to God, He intervened, and so they give thanks.
As a nation, and for many of us as individuals, we are at the place where these four groups were at in Psalm 107, and where Zacharias was before the birth of John. But if we cry out to God for rescue, we can expectantly thank Him for the deliverance that will follow. Tough times are not times to despair, but times of opportunity for our faith and thankfulness to grow.
(Joh 3:20-21 NKJ) “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21 “But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
Are these verses a contrast between a saved and unsaved person?
How do you see these verses?
Florin,
Good to hear from you…
First, is this comment somehow related to the post? If not, that’s okay, but I am just a bit confused as to how they are connected…
Second, we need to be careful how we use the terms “saved” and “unsaved.” I believe a person can have eternal life, but in many senses, not be “saved.” That’s a whole study of it’s own…
Third, however you take John 3:20-21, it will also affect how you understand passages like 1 John 2:9-11; 3:8-10; etc.
The bottom line answer for me is that I don’t think any of these verses tell us how to determine who has eternal life and who does not. Instead, they provide instruction for us as believers about how to abide in the light, and live in the truth.
great thoughts J
thanks!
This was just a question i had about John 3:20,21.
Isn’t Jesus talking to Nicodemus about how to have eternal life?
Aren’t these verses part of that context?
John 3:1-21 seem to be one whole section.
I was wondering how these verses fit into the context of the whole passage.
I don’t have any problem with you understanding of John 3:20,21.
What I’m trying to understand how they fit in the context of the story of Nicodemus.
So how did these verses get from talking to Nicodemus about eternal life to abiding in the truth.
Again I’m simply try to put John 3:1-21 together. I’m not being argumentative so I don’t want to come across that way. So any help will be appreciated.
I don’t have any problem with you understanding of John 3:20,21.
What I’m trying to understand is how they fit in the context of the story of Nicodemus.
So how did these verses get from talking to Nicodemus about eternal life to abiding in the truth?
Again I’m simply try to put John 3:1-21 together. I’m not being argumentative so I don’t want to come across that way. So any help will be appreciated.
Florin,
I didn’t take it as argumentative.
You are right that the verses need to be understood in context.
And to be honest, I have not ever done a serious study of the Gospel of John, so you could probably help me just as much as I might be able to help you.
I believe that Jim Reitman has done some good study of John recently. You could ask him… Check out this link as an example:
http://justsoyouallknow.blogspot.com/2009/10/john-316-3-d-gospel-for-promised-3-d.html
The way I read John 3 is this: Jesus is telling Nicodemus how to receive eternal life. It’s simply by believing in Jesus for it. But Jesus never intended eternal life to be a way so that we know we will “go to heaven when we die.” Eternal life was given to work life change in our own lives so that we can bring Kingdom trnaformation to the world. I think this is what John 3:19-21 is about. Those who believe in Jesus, receive eternal life (John 3:16-18).
HOWEVER, the big problem for me right now with this is the recurrance of the term “judge” and “judgment” in verses 18 and 19. It seems in verse 18 that the basis of judgment is whether or not a person has believed in Jesus. But in the basis of that judgment in verse 19 is whether or not the person has loved the light.
It’s a very difficult text for “Free Grace” theology. Maybe our theology needs adjusting…
You’ve raised good questions. I will think on them more….
See if Jim Reitman can help out any. If so, let me know!