1 John 4:7–12
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love…
Every deed, every action, that harms another will be exposed. The light of God illuminates the darkness that in Him the world can decide to choose good over evil. Our actions, not our words, show the fruit of Holy Spirit in us. As believers our sins our hidden in Christ. Without faith in Him and in the gift of salvation we will face God and our deeds will be subject to scrutiny and judgement. Only Christ reconciles us to Him. Jesus is the hope of the world. Carla
John 3:16-21
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. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “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. 19 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. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” NKJV
The speaker in this section may be the narrator expanding on Jesus’ teaching or Jesus still speaking with Nicodemus. The Greek manuscripts did not use punctuation that would have indicated a change of speaker. The content of this short discourse reflects themes typical to John such as the opposition of light and darkness. For that reason, the speaker is most likely the narrator.
This verse presents a concise summary of the gospel message, tying the events of Jesus’ death to God’s love for the world He created. The statement is remarkable in its depiction of divine care for the entire world—not just His chosen people, Israel.
The Greek term used here for One and only is monogenēs, meaning “one of a kind.” At one time, it was presumed that the term derived from the Greek words monos (“one” or “only”) and gennaō (“to beget”). The translation “only begotten” is based on this assumption. Subsequent manuscript discoveries produced evidence that the term actually comes from monos and the noun genē (“kind” or “type”). The term monogenēs therefore refers to uniqueness and has no inherent reference to chronology or origin. Hebrews 11:17 reinforces this by referring to Isaac as the monogenēs of Abraham. Isaac was not Abraham’s first child—chronologically, Ishmael came first. But Isaac was considered unique because of the supernatural intervention that aided in his birth and his role as the son through whom God’s covenant with Abraham continued. Ancient critics of the doctrine of the Trinity used this term to claim a chronological beginning for Jesus. Conversely, the Nicene Creed used this term to assert Jesus’ inherent relationship to the Father: that as the eternal Son He is “begotten [gennēthenta], not made” by the Father.
John prefers to refer to Jesus as the “Son” and God as the “Father” (John 3:35; 6:40; 17:1). Jesus’ reflection and representation of the Father is complete (14:9–10). As one sent by God, Jesus fully represented Him on earth (13:16, 20). Rejection of Jesus results in condemnation. The New Testament ultimately roots all salvation in faith in Christ (Romans 4:1–24; Hebrews 11:13, 26). There is no other way to achieve right standing with God.
The dualism between light and dark is a common theme in John’s Gospel and 1 John. In this context, “evil” refers to deeds that flow from unbelief. Anything done apart from faith in Christ is no better than the worst evil. Faithlife Study Bible
God’s love is not restricted to any one nation or to any spiritual elite. World here may also include all of creation (Romans 8:19–22; Colossians 1:20). At His first coming, Jesus came so that the world through Him might be saved. When Jesus comes again, He will come in judgment upon those who refused His offer of salvation.
To believe is to receive life (verses 15, 16) and avoid judgment. A person who does not believe not only misses life, but is condemned already. The idea of believing in Jesus’ name is also found in 1:12. Condemnation refers to the reason for judgment. The light referred to here is Jesus, the light of the world (1:7–9; 8:12; 9:5). The ultimate reason people do not come to Christ is that they do not want to.
The one who does the truth (1 John 1:5) is obviously already a believer because his or her deeds are done in God. Therefore, “coming to the light” is more than exercising faith. A person who comes to the light not only believes, but also openly identifies with the light so that his or her works can be seen as things done in union with God. The NKJV Study Bible
John 1:18
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
Ephesians 5:13
But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 1:4–5
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
“I salute the light within your eyes where the whole universe dwells. For when you are at that center within you and I am in that place within me, we shall be one.” Crazy Horse (renowned Oglala Lakota leader).
This week we are seeing and embracing the beauty inside, even in our brokenness, and yes, even in times of darkness.
And hopefully, paying attention to the affirmation to see that beauty in one another, with the affirmation that we are indeed connected, and on this journey—yes, pilgrimage—together.
Yes, there are parts of ourselves that we do not like, or do not understand, or avoid, or bury. There's nothing new about that. Except that we fuel the fire with an assumption that our priority is to fix the problem. Or at the very least, to look good trying.
Sometimes we hide. Sometimes we pretend. Sometimes we get busy being helpful to others. And sometimes we go to a specialist for advice.
I have nothing against specialists. (I've spent a fair amount of money on a few.) It's just that when we believe the solution is disease-removal, we tinker and trade one infomercial or Bible verse or well-intentioned guru for another, believing that there is beauty only after the fix.
It sounds like the Islamic parable about the man who loses his camel, but spends all of his time looking for the rope.
When we embrace the light, we can let it spill to the world around us. I can hear Mr. Rogers’ voice, telling this story. “I was once invited to sit in on a master class of six young cellists from the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony orchestra. The master teacher was Yo-Yo Ma. Now Yo-Yo is the most other oriented genius I've ever known. His music comes from a very deep place within his being. And during that masterclass, Yo-Yo gently led those young cellists into understandings about their instruments, their music and their selves, which some of them told me later, they'd carry with them forever. I can still see the face of one young man who had just finished playing a movement of Brahms Cello Sonata, when Yo-Yo said, ‘Nobody else can make the sound you make.’ Of course, he meant that as a compliment to the young man. Nevertheless, he meant that also for everyone in the class. Nobody else can make the sound you make. Nobody else can choose to make that particular sound in that particular way.” Sabbath Moments