Daily Devotion (April 8, 2025)
John 3:18-21
18 “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. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
The one who believes in Jesus is not condemned. We have a choice. Jesus has already chosen to bring us into His salvation. We must choose to accept His salvation. The emphasis of these verses is placed on our response to the offer of God’s salvation. There is either acceptance or rejection of God’s offer.
Verse 17 is clear, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” The word “believes” in this passage is more than just and intellectual acknowledgment of truth. It involves trust, faith, and commitment. One who believes in the context of these verses is saying they trust in God. They rely upon Him and have faith in Him. Placing our faith in God is more than mere words being spoken, it is.
- Belief in God’s promises.
- It is reliance on Jesus Christ as Savior, believing in His divinity, Sacrifice for our sin on the cross, and His resurrection from the grave.
- It is believing that our salvation is a gift from God. We cannot earn our salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
- True faith is active and leads aligns our lives with God’s will. James 2:26 says, “Faith without works is dead,” Genuine faith produces a life of obedience and service to God.
- Faith is more than lip service. It is believing, trusting God even during Challenging times.
Faith, our salvation is more than avoiding Hell and going to Heaven. Faith is an ongoing transformation in becoming more of what God has created us to be. We trust, obey, and place our hope in Him. Faith is going through the trials of the world and steadfastly trusting in God during the challenging times. It is believing God is in control and will fulfill His promise to us. Hebrews 13:5 says, “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” God is our comfort, security, and hope. He is our all-in-all.