God’s Holy Invitation to You

March 17, 2021

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” - John 3:16-17

John begins his Gospel much differently than Matthew, Mark, and Luke. As opposed to providing historical information about the genealogy of Jesus, the prophecy of Jesus, or the political background into which he was born, the apostle John looks back to the very beginning – to the Word that was God and was with God. This Word was made manifest in the person of Jesus Christ: “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5). John makes it very clear that Jesus is the eternal God who came to dwell among his people. The light of his divinity shown into the darkness revealing the glory of God and the sin of humanity.

In revealing the darkness of human sin, Jesus provided forgiveness and healing for that sin. Revelation of sin was intended to lead to redemption. How can one be redeemed from something of which he is completely unaware? Since the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden, humanity has had a sin problem. We know the right thing to do, but we often find ourselves unwilling or unable to do that right thing. Sin has a hold on us.

Jesus came to save us from that sin. Through him, we see sin but through him we also see the perfect payment for sin. Jesus came to show the love of his Father. God saw that mankind could not keep the law; he knew their desperate plight; and he had a perfect payment for sin provided through the death of his Son. Perfect love and perfect holiness demand justice. Justice was served as the perfect Son of God took the sin of the world upon his wounded body. His offering satisfied the wrath of a holy God.

When the Lord calls us to acknowledge our sin, it is not for the purpose of making us feel guilty or ashamed. Instead, it is a holy invitation to move from acknowledgement to confession, from confession to repentance, and from repentance into holy living. Jesus came that we could see our sin but not remain dead in our sin. Jesus came that we may have life, abundant life in this world and eternal life with the Father.

How do you receive this holy invitation to see your sin? Do you resist and retreat to a place of hiding or do you open yourself to see and to be seen? To see your sin is to see your need for salvation. Jesus wants to be your salvation, and he wants you to enjoy all the blessings and gifts of that salvation. Jesus came to save you – to save you from sin, from guilt, from condemnation, from death, and from all the forces of evil. Will you receive his gift for you and live free from the grip of sin?

Reflection:
When you think of conviction, do you think of salvation or condemnation? What is God’s holy invitation to you today?