JESUS: CONDEMNER OR REDEEMER?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
For God did not send His Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
(John 3:17)

MEDITATION:
Remember when you were a child and your parents told you that
Santa Clause was watching you? Did it give you a feeling that you
were being watched, and every time you ‘messed up’ you would get
another ‘bad mark’ on your ‘Christmas gifts report card’?

Did you feel that too many bad marks would cause you to miss out
on receiving the gifts you requested from Santa. Did you feel that
you might be condemned and separated from all others who would
receive Santa’s gifts? We can sometimes get misconceptions of things,
can’t we?

Some people had the wrong idea about Jesus when God sent Him into
the world. Although He exhibited love, there were many who felt He
was condemning others. Some felt that He was a threat to the religion
they had practiced for years. Many wanted to silence Him because He
was condemning the type of religion they had created for themselves.

Of course He condemned false religions and hypocrites, but He loved
everyone and wanted them to understand the changes they needed to
make in order to be with Him in Heaven after their time on earth ends.
His goal was for the people of the world to be saved, and not to condemn
them to spending an eternity in unrelenting torment and pain. He proved
His love and concern for all people by going to the cross and becoming a
living sacrifice for the sins of every individual.

It is His transforming and regenerating power that the world needs more
than anything else. Intellectual education cannot keep the world from
rotting away morally. Wealth, world leaders, government handouts, and
anything else that man can concoct, will not save the world from being
contaminated by evilness. If the world had fully understood His mission,
they would have universally embraced Jesus, instead of looking for ways
to try to make His life miserable, and to eliminate Him.

ACTION:
We should ask ourselves:
    – What is my perception of Jesus?
    – Do I view Him as a watchman who is ready to condemn me
       whenever I yield to temptation?
       Or do I consider Jesus to be my friend and Savior
       who is looking out for my best interests?

Jesus wants to guide us into spending an eternity in Heaven,
and not to condemn us to an eternal separation from Him.
Jesus and our Heavenly Father love you too much to remain
idle when they see you are speeding toward an eternity in hell.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus into the world
to save me. Thank You for loving me that much. Forgive me of
my sins and help me to live a life that is pleasing to You. Merciful
Lord, I pray that my life will be filled with a love like Yours that
flows out and touches others. Teach me to encourage others as
You continue to encourage me. In spite of how the world depicts
You incorrectly, You are the One I love, and I thank You for what
You did for me at Calvary.”

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