JESUS SAVES FROM SIN

John the Baptist speaks of Jesus.  We have seen this truth in verses earlier – now for emphasis.

John 1:29-31

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’

31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptising with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

When we believe in Jesus we are, in a sense, born-again.  What does this mean? John recorded:

John 1:12-13

12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Notice here the word ‘received’.  The Holy Spirit is guiding us here – to truly understand – to change our hearts lest Mark 4:11-13.  So, to receive something you must be given something.  This ‘something’ is actually ‘faith and being born-again’ – being given Holy faith.

John 3:1-16

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.

2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?”

11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.

12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.

14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Please read verses 3-5 again.

John 3:16, 36

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”

As a Theologian I call the above reference the whole reality of the Gospel of Belief – the Apostle John’s Gospel.  Indeed his Chapter 3 is so important – please read the chapter to fill your heart with knowledge and hope through the glory and infilling of holiness and salvation in the Holy Spirit.  This is true reality.  What is real now is not real – we see in a mirror dimly (1 Corinthians 13:12-13) – the true reality is not our present history but eternity where God is watching every second.  Time does not exist in eternity.

1 Peter 3:18-22

18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

19 Through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison

20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Notice when Jesus was ‘unseen’ (this is what ‘hell’ means), in eternity then He went back to Noah’s ‘time’ to speak to those who realised now, too late, they were wrong! They had already passed to judgement and eternal death (John 3: 36).

John 3: 16 is the epitome of doctrine.   Jesus’ grace and truth are defined there.  The truth of John 1: 12 is confirmed and given there.  Understanding of belief and faith are explained there.  The rest of John’s Gospel of belief is focused there.  So, what is so amazing?  What is the verse actually saying?  We remember there are about 38 translations of the Bible at present (written in English alone), and not all are absolutely true.  Again:

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Focus on the word ‘world’ for a moment.  Is it the whole world?  Everyone in the whole world?  Some will say ‘yes’ and thus ‘everyone is saved’.  Is this so?  Well reason would say ‘No’ as from history Hitler, Stalin, Idi Amin, Pol Pot?? I am not to say they repented before they died like the thief on the cross with Jesus – but reason I think says No!

The ‘world’ here is men and women in ‘every nation’ of God’s world who realise they are His – who have believed in Jesus as Saviour.  The Apostle John in his letter further explains:

1 John 2:1-2

1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

As we see Jesus is the Righteous One and the ‘whole world’ means those in the nations of God’s world who truly believe that Jesus is their Lord and Saviour.

Those in the liberal Church who believe that John actually means that there is forgiveness for the ‘whole world’ are wrong.  This is the heresy of universalism. Not all are saved.  That is very heavy isn’t it?  Well it is true.

Still in John 3:16, we see God ‘gave’ His Son.  God gave His Son to save those who God gave to His Son.  Remember:

John 1:12

12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

When I was young – it was 1964 – I chose to believe in Jesus.  Indeed, I chose to follow Jesus.  I chose Jesus.

Something suddenly happened……….

I was regenerated.  I thought I chose Jesus.  Then the Holy Spirit in His love and revelation and care spoke to my heart – Jesus chose me!

Suddenly the Holy Spirit revealed to me that Jesus had chosen me!

Thus the truth of the grace of Jesus and His effective call on my heart – on me! In this simple summary there is a simple yet profound message.