My Choice - Light or Darkness

 

My Choice – Light or Darkness

The “Red-Letter Words” of Jesus

Day 35

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he Who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”  John 3:17-21 (NKJV)

During my junior high years (now middle school), I was insecure which probably made me a typical adolescent. I also had a recurring nightmare that my subconscious couldn’t shake.

In my dream, I was invited to hang out with the popular kids from school. It was always at night. Once I got to my destination – whether the beach, hamburger joint, football game, etc. – the kids would turn a spotlight on me. Evidently, I was the only one aware of the fact that I didn’t have any clothes on. I tried to run but I couldn’t. I was stuck in the spotlight, frozen in shame. Then my peers would mock me and call me names. (Please tell me someone else had those dreams in their early teen years.)

I think that’s a good analogy of how I felt when the Holy Spirit dealt with my love of darkness before I gave my life to Jesus. (Darkness gives reference to my life without God.) When the Truth of God’s Word illuminated my evil deeds, it brought shame and condemnation. That’s probably why I preferred the obscurity of blackness. My evil deeds remained hidden in the darkness.

Initially, I hated the light. (Light gives reference to God’s Truth which exposed my sin.) When the spotlight shone on my sinister ways it immobilized me with shame. Sort of like the “deer in the headlights” scenario.

At that point, I had a choice. Slink back into the darkness or allow the Holy Spirit to continue to shine the Truth of His light on my life leading me from condemnation to guilt to repentance to forgiveness to freedom from shame.

Father, thank You for calling me out of darkness into Your marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Thank You that I am no longer under shame and condemnation because I am forgiven in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). I choose truth and light. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(For further explanation of my transformed life, click on the page titled, “Salvation.”)

 

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/john/3

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/john/3

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/3

 

Nicodemus Understood Religion, Not Spirituality

 Nicodemus Understood Religion, Not Spirituality

The “Red-Letter Words” of Jesus

Day Twenty-Nine

 

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”  John 3: 9-12 (NKJV)

I’m encouraged by Nicodemus’ question. It seems to me he wanted to push through the confusion he experienced to some type of understanding of what it meant to be born again. He became the humble student instead of the well-renown teacher.

I like what Charles John Ellicott has to say:  The answer to the previous question has spoken of a spiritual birth and a spiritual life and a spiritual kingdom, but all this is in a region of which the Rabbinic schools knew nothing. They were the authorized exponents of Law and Prophets; they knew the precise number of words, and the shape of letters; the form of a phylactery, and the width of a fringe; the tithing of garden herbs, and the manner of washing the hands; but spirit, life, a man’s soul born again!—“how can these things be?”

Nicodemus understood religion all too well. Spirituality, not so much.

Jesus “called him out” since Nicodemus was more than a common teacher…he taught in the Sanhedrin…the governing, religious authority. Nicodemus’ words carried weight and power. It became imperative for him to teach the truth; but, first, he had to understand the truth.

The interpretation of the “We” and “Our” in the above scriptures vary with each Bible scholar I studied. Some say they were plural references to Jesus; others say they referenced the presence of some of the disciples with him; and still, others say they referenced Jesus’ and John the Baptist’s teachings. The one thing they all agree on is Nicodemus didn't accept Jesus' teachings right away. They believe he eventually did, although he remained in darkness that night.

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it."  John 1:4,5 (NKJV)

Nicodemus lived in darkness and only through rebirth could he understand the truth of Jesus’ words. Being born again brought him into the light and helped him comprehend “heavenly things.” 

That's true for all of us. It wasn’t until I gave my heart to Jesus that I could say, “Ah, now I get it.” It took the Holy Spirit to illuminate my understanding to spiritual truths.

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/john/3.htm

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/john/3.htm

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/3/htm