GOD'S PROMISES # 6

'For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned ... '

This promise comes right after the promise we looked at last week. It continues with the thought of God giving his only Son so that those who believe in him will not 'perish'. Two additional and opposing concepts are introduced - the concept of condemnation and the concept of salvation.

The Bible teaches that our universal rejection of the one true God places us all in a state of condemnation in the presence of God, the Judge of all the earth.

The Bible also teaches that there is no way that we, of our own initiative and endeavour, can get ourselves out of that state of condemnation.

But ... God sent his Son into the world - to save the world through him, to rescue us from our inescapable condemnation, to rescue us from the just penalty of our sin, and from the law of sin and death that holds us forever accountable, and to bring us safe into a relationship with himself where there is no more wrath, no more condemnation, no more imposition of the judgements and penalties legally due.

Through Jesus Christ his Son, God's strict justice is upheld. The Son bore, as our substitute, the full legal rap for our sin, so that we may live free forever from sin's condemnation.

Whoever believes in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, already possesses this incredible salvation. Whoever believes in the Son, does not today, and never will, face sin's condemnation.

Scriptures: John 3:17,18a; Romans 1:18-32; 3:9-31; 5:1-11; 6:23; 8:1-4; Colossians 1:13.