For God so loved the world

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

- John 3:16-21

In yesterday's reading, Nicodemus, a member of the Pharisees, came to Jesus by night. He confessed that he believed Jesus was a teacher from God. But Jesus taught Nicodemus about being born again, of Spirit and water. Nicodemus did not understand this. Jesus taught, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, bur cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Jesus marveled that Nicodemus still didn't understand: if He spoke of earthly things (such as baptism, and the work of the Spirit in us), and still wasn't understood, then how could He speak of heavenly things -- the great mysteries? He said, "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Here of course is the great summing up with which we still recall our Lord. My study bible says of this verse: "The essence of the gospel: God's gift of His Son as the ultimate expression of His love for the world." We remember, putting today's reading together with yesterday's, that Jesus' words have been a reference to the Cross: that He will be lifted up in order to save lives, just as Moses lifted the serpent to save the Israelites.

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." Jesus sums up the saving work of God in the world -- and the purpose of His incarnational life in the world. Over and over again, we see the work of God through Scripture in both Old and New Testament. This saving mission is the embodiment of God's love and mercy for us all. It is God's desire that we may be with God in an everlasting life.

"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Let us consider these words carefully. In the Greek, the word for "condemned" is "judged." So, the implication is of an adverse judgment. I think the understanding of "name" is essential to this context: Christ's name isn't merely the name that we give Him or call Him. It is rather, an assignment of identity. His "name" is that of His Father, that true family or house He is a part of, His essence. So, I think we have to turn to an understanding of recognition, and its role in faith. Can we hear the truth in the essence of what He teaches? Can we hear Him, and the authority of His true name, in what He manifests in His life in the world? Is there a place where we are recognized, and where we recognize His true name, true being?

"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Here, He elaborates more deeply. What is the light? Jesus here teaches His nature, His essence, His name. It is the light: that which we perceive in Him is the light. What do we feel about Him in our hearts? For myself, this is not a decision about the historical church, whatever we may point to that we don't like or disagree with, but about the Person of Jesus Himself, in His name as only begotten Son. What is it we know or feel about this Person? Do we reject that essence, that light?

"For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." Let us consider the role of truth in this statement. My study bible has a note that reads, "A profound insight: Goodness and a pure heart welcome the light, whereas evil deeds and malice resist the light and seek to hide in the darkness." Do we have things we wish to hide -- or perhaps more accurately, things we wish to hide from the light? I think we cannot confuse the judgment of human beings with the judgment of God here; this isn't about the collective judgment of human beings. We have just read Jesus' view of the crowds, whose faith is shallow, in yesterday's reading. The understanding we need for today's words from Jesus is one of discernment. Do we have things we would want to hide from the light of God? From the love of God? I think this is the great question we must ask ourselves. The "deeds done in God" have to do with a depth of relationship to this loving God that Jesus describes -- the One who wishes us to be with Him in an everlasting life. This is the offer, a gift made with love.

Justice and judgment are hard things to talk about. So often we confuse a harsh judgment with the word "judgment" that we read here. But that is to confuse a worldly judgment with God's judgment; that is to confuse a perspective which is merely from the "flesh" as Jesus describes in our previous reading. Let us remember that Jesus is teaching here about that which is born of the Spirit, and about discernment. He's speaking about a life of those pure in heart, who seek this relationship, who may welcome the light. This is something deep within ourselves. Can we accept the gift that transfigures and brings meaning even to our own suffering in the world? Or are there things we wish to hide from this love? Judgment is mixed with the tremendous love of the One who will give His life for all of us. Let us consider, then, that love and what it offers. What do we wish to hide from it? Do we welcome, instead, its saving love?