Those signs that pop up at sporting events – not sure why – written John 3:16, what are they about? The quote is “God loved the world so completely that he gave his only son, so that all who believe in him might not perish, but have life in all its abundance.” I suspect these sign-holders are trying to convey the message that believing in Jesus, in the way we do, is your ticket to heaven. Sorry, but that’s not what the text says. But it’s the next line (John 3:17) that grabbed my attention this year.
“For God sent his son into the world not to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” Jesus has a thing about people judging others. His point is that we do not have God’s perspective to be able to determine the goodness or evil, the worthiness or unworthiness of anyone – not even of our selves. Don’t even try.
Jesus did not come to condemn the world. He came to heal it and to liberate it – which is the biblical meaning of to save. Jesus did not come to give us one last chance to get it right. He came to offer us unlimited possibilities to learn and to grow. And it’s not about saying the correct words or formulas, it’s not about performing prescribed rituals, it’s about trying again and again – never giving up. It’s about trying to be good, trying to be just and fair, trying to care for and develop the gifts that have been entrusted to us. Because God doesn’t give up on us. Never.
Those who believe in Truth, those who believe in Love as the energy behind all things, those who believe in the sacredness of Life, and whose lives and actions mirror these beliefs, are open to the healing, liberating power of God embodied in Jesus. This is so much more than having good will. We need to act, to change. Jesus came that we might be interiorly free, that nothing, or no one, would enslave us – not even our favorite habits or fall-back behaviors. Being free, we are available to be present, to love in this place, in this moment. Can we accept this gift of freedom?
Jana Buckley says:
In the May 3rd post ‘Not to Condemn, but to Save’, I am not sure I understand what is meant in the first paragraph by “believing in Jesus, in the way we do”.
a43dcb5_wp says:
Too often, we Christians, and others who are fierce about their religion, tend to believe that everyone needs to believe in the same way we do. Those others should think, act and worship the way we do. Sign wavers are advertising the way that they believe, which may or not be what Jesus intended.