The New Birth (part 3) - Lurking in the Dark, Living in the Light (John 3:16-21)

I found it very interesting that when we come to Jesus it is more than just "being saved." It is also learning not to lurk. Most of us know that great expression of the gospel message in one verse, John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

As I noted in my last post; the word "believe" used here means to have active faith. . . to trust Jesus completely. God provides this life not because we deserve life, but simply because His love is ever so massive. When I was a Youth Minister I made up a word that I eventually had the entire youth group using; "mongambi." The word basically meant anything that was huge, beyond big and so on. I guess you could say that God has the mongambi of mongambi of all loves. And that loves is for anyone who will trust His Son with an active faith.

And then comes the kicker, at least for me. Jesus does not leave it with simply believing in Him. he then has to start with talking about condemnation. And the condemnation is found to be on a select group of people, John 318-21 says:

"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.”

According to this verse the condemnation is basically on those who continue to lurk in the darkness, rather than live in the light. To lurk means that we hide in the shadows with the intent of doing something wrong. I find it interesting how many times Christians lurk, no they are doing something they should not be doing (of course they do it in secret). We are called to come out of the dark places and live in the light, and we can only live in the light when we are believing (active faith) in Jesus. I have to wonder, even though I have trusted in Jesus for my salvation, am I living like it. Too often, we as Christians seem to think that we can get our "fire insurance" from hell and then live mostly however we desire. But the truth of the matter is, if I have believed on the Son of God. . . I will live like. Perhaps it is time for Christian to stop lurking in the darkness and and start truly living in the light. The Apostle Paul once stated in Acts 26:20;

...repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.

Lord, help me to live like one who has truly trusted in You, repented of my sins, and am living in the light. Amen!