John 3:17 God Saves!
"For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its Savior." (TEV)
John 3:16 is the verse always seen on a placard at ball games and major events, but it shouldn't be separated from its companion verse 17. To put them together gives you the FULL Gospel in a Nutshell: God loves us. All of us. God sent Jesus. Not to judge, but to save. Jesus didn't come to tell us how bad we were or to condemn us. He came to show us, by example, a better way. He came to make things right in our relationship with our Creator God. He came to make our lives whole and filled with purpose. In loving us, he saves us.
"Jesus is not judge or jury, but brother and friend." (PH d365.org) In the name of Christ, can we not treat each other in the same manner?
Footnote: At some point during the night, I realized I was composing this scribble in my mind. I had thought I would make an additional John 3:16 drawing when I arose this morning. Imagine my surprise when I found the parting line to today's devotional to read, "God came to save us." I dreamed the scribble before I even knew the verse! Is God at work? Wow!
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