MINUTE MEDITATIONS

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17

Why did God send His Son into the world? Why did the eternal Son of God take on human flesh and blood, being born of the Virgin Mary a true man? The Bible tells us: “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Some thought that Jesus, if He were the Messiah, should have come into this world to establish God’s law and condemn all who failed to keep God’s holy precepts. Because Jesus did not do this, many of the Jews of His day were not willing to accept Him as their Messiah and Savior. Some today still reject Him for the same reason. The fact is that, if Jesus had done this, none of us would remain; for, as the Scripture says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

But “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” Jesus, God’s own Son, was born of the Virgin Mary and made true man that He might take our place under God’s law and keep it for us; and He became true man that He might suffer and die upon the cross for your sins and my sins and the sins of the whole world and make us acceptable in His Father’s eyes. And, of course, this is what Jesus did. He lived a pure and sinless life in thought, word, and deed for us; and He suffered an agonizing death on the cross, being condemned and forsaken of His own heavenly Father on account of our sins. This Jesus did for you and for me and for all other sinners.

Even now, God desires that we repent of our sinful ways and turn to Jesus and His shed blood for forgiveness and life eternal. The risen Christ pleads with us to look to Him and be saved. Ultimately, Jesus will come in glory to judge the world and condemn the ungodly for their rejection of Him; but today He calls you to turn to Him and be saved!

O gracious Father in heaven, thank You for the gift of Your holy Son to bear our sins and give us life everlasting. Grant us faith to turn to Jesus that He might wash away our sins in His shed blood and give us life eternal. Amen.

Devotions