“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.” John 3:19-20
Jesus and His teaching are a bright and shining light in this dark and sinful world. His Word reveals our utter sinfulness and the only way of salvation — through repentance and faith in Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross — but people prefer to avoid the light because they do not want their sinful way of life to be exposed and reproved.
Dear Lord Jesus, grant that I let the light of Your Word shine upon my soul and reveal my sinfulness that I might be moved to repent and look to You and Your cross in faith for pardon and forgiveness. Amen.
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17
God sent His Son into the world as a true man, not to condemn mankind but to make atonement for the sins of all by His innocent sufferings and death on the cross so that we might look to Him in faith and be spared when He returns in judgment on the Last Day. We, too, bear witness to Christ Jesus, not to condemn the people of this world but to point all to Christ and His cross so that they might be saved.
O gracious God, thank You for sending Your Son to redeem us. Grant that we believe and take comfort in the Gospel so that we might be saved and have life without end. Amen.
“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Romans 8:33-34
Though we are sinners and condemned by God’s law, do we, as believers, need to fear being condemned on the day of judgment? God has declared us just and righteous through faith in Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross. Christ Jesus Himself is the Judge who will condemn the ungodly, and He is the one who died for us and rose again and even now intercedes on our behalf at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.
O gracious and merciful God, thank You for declaring me just and righteous in Your sight through faith in the Son — for redeeming me as Your own dear child through the shed blood of Christ Jesus. Amen.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32
Since God showed His great love for us by giving His only-begotten Son to die for us and atone for the sins of all, what have we to fear? He who called us to faith in the Son will most certainly continue His gracious working in us and preserve us in that true and saving faith unto life everlasting!
O gracious God, thank You for sending Your Son to die for me, for calling me to faith in Christ Jesus through the Gospel, and for preserving me in that faith until I am safe with You in heaven. Amen.
“Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” Romans 8:30
What a comfort it is to us as believers to know that God knew us as His own before the foundation of the world, predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son Jesus Christ, called us through the Gospel promises of forgiveness and life in Christ Jesus, counts us just and righteous through faith in Jesus, and preserves us in that faith through the continued use of His Word until we are glorified and with our Savior in heaven!
O merciful Father, as You have known me and called me to faith in Your Son through the Gospel, preserve me in that faith unto life everlasting. Amen.
