John 3:19-20 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
We read today about the very opposite of living to love with Jesus—living to hate without Jesus. The presence of Light makes five things evident about those who are in the world and in need of the new birth and eternal life. As we continue to read through this gospel, John showed that this judgment of God is true. He sees that those without Christ do evil, hate the Light, love the darkness, and will not come to the Light for fear of exposure. The presence of Jesus, the Light, reveals that God has already judged them. He sent His Son into the world to save the world, which turns the light on them. They scurry away into the darkness because of fear and hatred of the Light, according to His judgment.
Everyone in the world is hopeless and helpless unless God does something in them. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and it is hostile to God, as the apostle Paul wrote to the Romans in 8:6-8.
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
They cannot live to love and please God because the flesh isn’t able to do it.
The only works that please God are His works through His Son by the Holy Spirit. This is the good news John is proclaiming in this gospel! In God’s great mercy and love, Jesus told Nick that He is sending the Holy Spirit to give new life and reveal Himself. We will learn in the next verse how God’s work in the hearts of men is revealed by the Light.
Our encouragement today is that if we are living to love with Jesus, these verses no longer describe us. They should also awaken inside of us a compassion for those in the world who are trapped in darkness. We may expect that there will be some who will react with hatred. It’s not hatred of us, but hatred of the Light. They will think we are toxic to them. When we share God’s Word with them, thinking it will encourage them, they will accuse us of abusing them and weaponizing the Scriptures. These verses teach us why they respond the way they do. They show God’s judgment—they hate the Light because their deeds are evil.
We do not need to judge them, but instead, love them with Jesus. Let us love the Light and reveal the love of God to them, praying that God, in His great mercy and love will send the Holy Spirit to give them life in Christ.
I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of “giving it forward,” so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.
