SEVEN FAMOUS BIBLE VERSES #7: LOOK UP - GRACE & LOVE ARE FREE

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life"....John 3:16

You see it in the end zones of football games, from the NFL to the CFL (Canadian Football League) to College and definitely Friday Night Lights at high schools across America. I have seen it at basketball games, music concerts and even secular downtown parades on hand-made signs anywhere. Everyone uses it across Western Civilization. They even quote it in King James English. While "Judge not less ye be judged" is used is a negative defense mechanism, John 3:16 is proclaimed worldwide as the main proof of our Loving God, even by those who don't believe in Him.

This is not criticism because John 3:16 can stand by itself, if the person proclaiming or hearing it spoken, understands even 10% of the full counsel of God as found in the Scriptures. But it is necessary, as in ALL of the Word of God, to grasp context, content and comprehension.

CONTEXT:

John 3:13-18 says: 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

CONTENT: 

- Before the Resurrection (which is when the hope of Eternal Life was realized), no one but God, could get to the Throne of Heaven except God Himself, with His Angelic beings. Old Testament saints who slept with their fathers, were in paradise, until Resurrection Sunday. Jesus is the Advocate and Intermediary, in that, He had to come down from off the Throne (as confirmed in Philippians 2:5-11) and if you read this passage from Philippians 2, we will know what all that really means. Without this amazing selfless act of love and grace, we would all be lost forever.

- The example of Moses "lifting up the serpent in the wilderness" was given to us by Christ so we could escape the sting of the second and final death. To go back to the Exodus, the Israelites were getting attacked, bitten and killed by snakes, as a direct warning from God. Moses prayed and God told him to make a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Moses was then to tell the people who were attacked by the sting of the serpent to simply LOOK at the bronze pole and believe and be saved. Jesus is telling us that if we too look up to Him, His Sacrifice, death, burial and Resurrection - all signified by the Cross - we too shall live forever in the Kingdom of Heaven - and be saved!

This is the main thing to be grasped in this passage. We have no choice but to look to the modern day bronze pole of Moses, now called "The Cross". Like the pole, the Cross defeated the serpent. Like the bronze pole, the Cross defeated death. Like the bronze pole, the Cross brought God directly to us - if we would just open our hearts to Him.

COMPREHENSION:

We see the main content is the Cross (John 3:13-15). We see God coming down from Heaven to show the way there to anyone who believes. What we pick up from the verses now, after John 3:16 is the Rationale of the Almighty, found here in John 3:17-18. We really do need to catch this or those who don't, won't or could care less, would fall in the category Jesus warned about in John 3:18...and as the Bible says "it is a fearsome thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God". Only the unredeemed face this scenario 100% of the time.

To wit, we see:

- God loved the world (John 3:16)....His general Grace, love and mercy is for all. Even those who reject and continue to reject Him. Still He loves. What people say and do to and about God daily condemns them daily, yet He lets us live. What a mighty loving God! His Grace is free. His Mercy is free. His Love is free.

- Because He loved, He gave. When God gives, He does not hold back. He gave the most precious only Begotten (which literally means "One of a Kind") Son, the Lord Jesus as part of His plan to redeem all mankind, from sin which destroys forever. He loves us even now, no matter how much we mess up all of that which He gives us to be stewards.

- The offer was/is and will always be there (with an expiration date) that if we confess with our mouth (Godly sorrow leadeth to repentance) and believe with our Hearts that Jesus IS LORD - we too can be part of this Great Plan of Redemption, conceived in Love. We WILL be saved!

- The "Whoever...or Whosoever" believes is the most crucial thing here. There are only two options: reject and perish via eternal separation from the God Whom the majority has and will reject or believe, have Faith and be welcome to the paradise prepared for ALL those who love God, and are called by His Name! It comes down to this.

THE CHOICE:

So what do we do with this knowledge of the most famous and popular verse in the known world? Is it just a happy "saying" for carefree events and then go about our business, with not a care in the world? What God is telling us this - we had better care! Just as people make plans for their older age, buy life insurance or save for retirement, it is very scary to see the majority of people all around us, who care not about the most important thing in the world - their eternal souls. While there is still time, there remains the free gift which avoids us harsh and final judgment where there is no cover for our sins. While there is still time, we can really grab John 3:16, pull it into our heart and run with it, until it becomes a part of us. The latter is the only way we can avoid being eternally separated from the Loving God, Who gave His One of a Kind Son - King Jesus.

(Graphic Credit- PINTEREST)

JESUS & DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE INCOMPATIBLE?

On the surface, that headline carries a strange question! But is really? I was studying the Book of Ecclesiastes recently and in Chapter 2,  the "Preacher" - King Solomon - expounds pleasure. This led me to a study of the philosophy of Epicureans. The comparison with King Solomon and 21st Century America is uncanny! Solomon in his corrupt heyday did what was right in his own eyes, just like people today. He was the ultimate Epicurean.

Now, there is a misconception that Epicureans believe only in "wine, women and song".....or "eat, drink and be merry because tomorrow we die" and many carnal christians themselves believe and practice that lifestyle. Unfortunately, this included one of the most liked of America's Founding Fathers and most famous author of the American Declaration of Independence - Thomas Jefferson.

Contrary to creative historian David Barton, Jefferson was not a born-again Christian but a legitimate Epicurean libertine and Exhibit A of the current decline of America to where it is heading today- downhill with no brakes! Why would I, a born-again believe and support of the Founding Documents of the Greatest Country ever created by man make such a statement? Well, let's read what Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (Paragraph 2)

There it is - "THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS"! Thomas Jefferson did NOT proceed to say that the Pursuit of Happiness is because of the gospel of Jesus Christ or the pursuit of the God of the Bible. But Jefferson did say this phrase IMMEDIATELY following his statement on the "pursuit of happiness" - "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

There it is! Unless Jefferson's love of the word "Government" is the original Biblical Greek word for "God", the Founding Father and creator of a modern US political party is guaranteeing that "safety and happiness" comes from government! This is typical Epicureanism where this philosophy's true belief was not just hedonism but a painless concept of "happiness" and metaphysical pleasure as the greatest good!! 

Is this what God - in the Form of The Son - JESUS CHRIST - died for on Good Friday almost 1980 years ago? Did the Creator of the Universe, the Ancient of Days, Who poured Himself out and humbled Himself and let corrupt politically corrupt religious leaders persecute, torture and execute Him on a Cross...did THAT GOD do ALL of this so that we should pursue our happiness as one man...sure he was a founding father,  etched in stone? Did Jesus DIE in Vain?

The answers to all of the above is of course, NO. The Lord Jesus gave His Life, as part of the eternal plan of God to rescue mankind from itself and restore him/her to a right relationship with Him. As we reflect on the Passover and Good Friday, on the Holiest week for both Jews and Christians, never lose sight of this.

We have so-called men and women of God - from pastors of "evangelical" and African-American churches falling all over themselves to endorse a Biblical oxymoron "gay marriage". We have young so-called "christians" in colleges like Biola, Wheaton and in America's megachurches not just thinking it is okay, but compartmentalizing God and secular culture so they can support the new trends AND be pro-choice on Abortion, while acting like a fool with their hands in the air to some loud praise band with their theological pants on the ground. None of these people could hold a candle to Pastor Saeed and others in the worldwide persecuted church...and in fact these same clergy and young "christians" will face the Wrath of God on Judgment Day.

The Cross is the great Divide. When the Lord Jesus gave up His onetime earthly life and said "IT IS FINISHED" - it WAS finished...and decided once and for all. Jesus is called The Word many times in the Bible...and He is deadly SERIOUS About His Word. He said so (every jot and tittle). That includes not just everything from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, but every syllable of every letter in between. Those religious types from the pharisees of the Sanhedrin; to the liberal clergy of North America to young "christians" playing church with their lattes and smart phones will be held to account for crucifying the Son of Man again and again and again with their heresies.

The Cross is the great Divide. The Pursuit of Happiness is not the problem, the means to it is. If the "Joy of the Lord" is your strength, we are on the right side of the Cross. If our happiness and pleasure are found in the things of and created by man and his corrupt culture, we ARE on the WRONG side of the Cross. So there really is a choice. 

The Choice is - do we choose the fleeting happiness of the world, which comes with bondage and chains to a captive philosophy OR do we choose today "to be with Him in Paradise"? You see, it really does come down to which side of the Cross you are on. As for me and my house, we will choose the Lord.  This fleeting life is measured in terms of what others say about you for 10 seconds on some news cast when it should be marked with the Seal of Approval from the Only One Who matters - Jesus Christ. Your happiness and mine should be defined by our repentance and acceptance and confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9).

THAT SHOULD BE OUR PERSONAL DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE...BECAUSE IT IS THAT WHICH HAS SET US FREE AND LOOSED US INTO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM....NOTHING ELSE. THIS IS WHAT THE CROSS SHOULD MEAN TO US - AMONG OTHER THINGS - IT SHOULD BE A SYMBOL OF OUR FREEDOM FROM THE CAPTIVITY OF SIN....AND A PROMISE OF TRUE JOY AND HAPPINESS IN THE COMING ETERNAL KINGDOM, IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN.

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.....Galatians 5:1 (NASB).