MINUTE MEDITATIONS
“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.” John 3:18
“God
so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son….” (v.
16). Jesus Christ, God’s Son
born of the Virgin Mary, was sent into this world to redeem us from our sin and
the wrath and condemnation which God’s holy law requires. Jesus did this for us by keeping that law
perfectly in our place and then suffering and dying upon the cross to pay in
full the punishment for all of our sins.
His resurrection is proof that God the Father accepted the sacrifice of
His only begotten Son in our stead.
Since Christ Jesus has accomplished our
redemption for us, those who believe in Him, placing their trust and confidence
in His holy life and His innocent sufferings and death in our stead rather than
in themselves and their own sin-tainted righteousness, are not condemned by God
but forgiven of all their sins. They
have everlasting life in heaven for Jesus’ sake!
On the other hand, those who do not
believe in Jesus are already condemned.
Why? It is not that Jesus did not
fulfill all righteousness for them, and it is not because Jesus did not pay in
full the just penalty for their sins. It
is not even because God does not have forgiveness in heart for them. Rather, it is because they have rejected the
way of salvation God provided for them—the only way of salvation. God is left with no choice but to condemn
them for their sins and failings and, chief of all, for their rejection of His
only begotten Son, their Messiah and Savior, Jesus!
What about you? God sent His only begotten Son to redeem
you. Jesus paid in full for all your
sins when He shed His blood upon the cross.
God offers you forgiveness and life in His Son. If you believe in Christ Jesus, you are not
condemned—you have forgiveness for all your sins and everlasting life! But if you do not believe in Jesus, you stand
condemned already for not trusting in the only begotten Son of God!
O dearest Jesus, thank You for
Your holy life in my place and for Your sufferings and
death upon the cross for my sins.
Graciously grant me faith to trust in You alone
for my salvation. Amen.
[Scripture quotations are taken from the New
King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1994 by
Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]