God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. John 3:17, TLV

The Perspective Verse. Have we ever thought or been told or worse, told someone else, “If you don’t believe in Jesus, then you’ll be condemned to eternal damnation.”? The truth is, before being redeemed, we were already condemned. Everyone was and is until that redemption.

The one who believes in Him is not condemned; but whoever does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not put his trust in the name of the one and only Ben-Elohim [the Son of GOD].  (vs. 18, TLV)

It might seem like quibbling, because the outcome may be the same, but the semantics are very important. Here’s why.

The Pill

If we tell someone to take a pill, then they won’t die, they might take the pill out of fear. Perhaps later they might question, “Would I really have died?” Their healing would have an element of doubt. Especially if they happen to catch a cold.

However, if we explain to a person that the reason they feel the way they do is that they are dying, and if they take this pill it will heal them, then they will accept with gratitude. Their healing would always be seen with gratitude because they understand and remember how sick they were.

I think we’ve forgotten how to explain that the reason the world is a mess, is sin. Each person is responsible for the mess. Sin is the disease and we are the carriers. Yeshua is not a vaccination. He is the cure.

“Salvation” is not about living large — what some translate as abundant living — it is about love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And the biggie, gratitude. It’s not about staying in our little world, or congregation, or fellowship — it’s about stepping about to find others who were like us and share the “cure”

Thoughts?