This familiar passage of John contains one of the most famous verses in all the Bible. And I think we often get caught up in the verses preceding and including verse 16. And it is important to note being born again and the importance of the new birth we have in the Holy Spirit. We aren't sure how it works, but we do know that through the Spirit we are embraced into God's family.
The section that fascinates me is what comes after the new birth discussion. Jesus describes those who live as though born again- defined by truth.
"This is the verdict," Jesus says in verse 19. His teaching to Nicodemus all leads to this point, that when the light of the world came and the possibility of new birth arrived, people shrank away from it. They preferred the shadows, where they could remain hidden and wouldn't risk their imperfections being brought into the light. And how true that is! Even as a Christian who has experienced and lives out of the new birth Jesus offers, I fear walking in the light because it exposes my weaknesses, my doubts and my...
Wait a minute. There's a lot of "me" and "my" and "I" in that last part. Jesus says that those who love the light are those who are doing things "through God." "My" weakness is far from the end of the story. God is the end of the story. And if God is truly doing a good work in me (and you), then there is no reason to fear the light. Indeed, we could even embrace the light. Let it reveal our faults, but even moreso, let it reveal God's greatness.
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