Praise the Lord Saints of the Most High God!
When Pontius Pilate interrogated Jesus just before his crucifixion recorded in John 18:36-38, Jesus answered him, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
Pilate then said to Him, “Are you a King then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Jesus proclaimed that “Every one of the truth (who seeks truth) hears my voice.” Pilate’s reply “What is truth?” And he immediately left Jesus not staying to hear an answer. (Vs.38)
Pilate was staring at Truth incarnate; he was so close yet so very far. He didn’t have time to hear any answer.
Christianity claims to be exclusive in its revelation of God and knowing God. It is not to be mistaken for another religion that one can choose among the many. Nor is it to be integrated into another religion, no matter how close its precepts or teachings may be found to Christ.
Nicodemus is a man intrigued by what he has seen and heard. He slips away at nighttime to see Jesus, who appeals to Nicodemus in his conversation, “For God so loved the world He gave his only begotten Son…”
God sent His son into the world not only to be sacrificed but also to deliver truth. He came to bring truth to mankind as well as to die. But to introduce truth, one must be confronted with their falsehood. The concept is the true light of God coming in a world of darkness to transfer people who do not believe in Him and those who practiced other religions to be brought into a relationship with the one true God.
The motivation for God sending his son into our world to die for sin is love. But what kind of love is this? When we state God loves everyone unconditionally, it does not mean God accepts all no matter what they do or believe. God hates sin. It is contrary to his nature, so he has provided a way to change us so that we can move from being alienated and enemies to friends of our maker.
Unconditional love means whatever you have done, God will accept you and forgive you and bring you into friendship with Himself if you believe in His message of the good news. However, we have conditions to be met to be found in a new relationship with His unconditional love. Just as the angel delivered the good news in Luke 2 to the shepherds, it was to those of goodwill who were willing to repent and receives the message, not to anyone who continues on the same destructive course.
John records later what Jesus said to Nicodemus 3:21: “But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” In other words, those who seek to know the truth will gladly abandon their wrongs and embrace Jesus as savior.
Today society’s view of love has changed drastically. It now means to be tolerant and go the way of least resistance, to avoid any conflict. However, true love is not helping people be accepted and have them continue in falsehood. Because much of the Church’s inability to proclaim the truth with backbone, society has been affected as well as the Church. We have substituted words that have no biblical significance so that people will not be uncomfortable at church.
There is a common cold that everyone has without sneezing. In the end of time scripture states the love of many will wax (grow) cold. People become hardened, it is ingrained in their personality. Marriages barely last more than a few years much less a lifetime which they vow for.
Prenuptial agreements are made to ensure the mate of possible retaliation from their loved one when all goes south. Careers can take priority over family and those you love. Ambition drives people to be the best and have the most; this is what gives one self-esteem and satisfaction today.
The children suffer because the parents are more focused on obtaining the good things of life, and most of their time is spent in pursuit of the American dream. Parents can’t control their children and end up physically abusing them because of their frustrations.
It never dawns on them that when you don’t forge a path from their beginning, you can’t have them walk on it when they are growing up. Because biblical living is abandoned, everyone suffers. They must hear the biblical message to be rescued from a society that is a candle in the wind.
