JOHN 3:19-21 PODCAST
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:19-21
Imagine, we have been brought into the courtroom, and all of mankind has been found to be guilty of sin. This is not imaginary, it is reality. In Isaiah 3:13, we are told, "The LORD takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people." This is also the theme of Romans 3. It is not that God hasn't waded in on our condition, no, no, no. The Apostle informs us in v.19: "Light has come into the world." The wherewithal to recognize the difference between the truth and the lie has been granted through the Lord Jesus. The question is are we willing to see through our admission of guilt.
On the other hand, we trust what we know. This explains why someone would return to an abusive spouse. It explains why someone would choose homelessness over a permanent roof over their heads. It explains why the way of the evil one is embraced over the love of the Creator. We choose what we trust.
Due to our ignorance, most have chosen the darkness over the light. In v.19 we read: "people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.." Nobody wants to admit he is wrong. This is why it is so hard for us to turn to the LORD. You remember those days when we held tightly to our sin, thinking it was good for us. It took brokenness for me to be convince.
Notice in v.21 a contrast is given: "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." If we are willing to admit we are wrong, we will find ourselves being drawn to Jesus, for He is the Light.
The light exposes. The light exposes that which is darkness. I was fortunate to have people around me in my early years who shared the light of the Gospel with me. Yet, I automatically knew of this light. I believe we are all born with this capacity to know that what we have known isn't consistent enough to be reality. Therefore, at some point, we begin to seek, we begin to seek the light.
The choice to ultimately trust in Christ starts with a conviction deep within ourselves that we do not like the way we are. We do not like the way we are living; we want to be different. We may not be all that aware of how deep and destructive this conviction is, but it gnaws at us with each passing day. If we will begin to do something else, to pursue truth at whatever level we find it, we will find ourselves being drawn to the Lord Jesus. This was Nicodemus' story and is my story, too.
Hebrews 11:6 says, "Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him." This verse does not say a word about believing in Jesus or being born again. This verse takes us right where we are in life and says that if, deep in our hearts, there is a hunger for something more, if we would like to be freed from the anguish and shame of what we know to be wrong, and we begin to pursue that, we will be drawn to the Lord Jesus. When we learn of the Lord Jesus, we will be open to receive Him. The sensation of God drawing us is this desire within us to want to be set free from what we innately know is wrong.
In our text, the Lord Jesus is talking with this Pharisee, Nicodemus', who prided himself on his sincere and serious efforts to please God, to obey him with precise execution. He believed that he had to earn his salvation through good works and diligence in keeping the law. Nicodemus knew in his heart that his theology just didn't cut it.
To this man, the Lord Jesus says, "You love darkness." With the hardness of these words, the Lord Jesus is drawing Nicodemus to place his faith in Him. Then the Lord Jesus says, "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." This audience of one is really the bottom line at the end of the day. Who I am, in relationship to God, is the real question. And, Nicodemus knew this. All mankind knows this. This explains why we have made the effort to seek beyond us.
But the road that connects us to God runs from God to us, not from us to God. We do not journey through the cross to find God; instead, God has made the trek through the cross to find us. Our role is to receive this free gift that He offers. We have a choice between achieving a life or receiving it. If we make it achieving, our constant companion will be complaint, because we will never achieve enough. If we make our goal receiving, our constant companion will be gratitude for all that God is achieving in our lives. And, gratitude is the prescription to growing more deeply in our relationship with God.
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