THE MOST IMPORTANT CHAPTER IN THE BIBLE

     JOHN CHAPTER 3 IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHAPTERS IN THE BIBLE. IT CONTAINS THE WORDS OF JESUS CONCERNING OUR SALVATION AND OUR STANDING WITH GOD. IT BEGINS WITH NICODEMUS, A JEWISH RELIGIOUS LEADER, WHO CAME TO JESUS AT NIGHT TO FIND OUT HOW TO BECOME RIGHT WITH GOD. IN VERSE 3, JESUS TELLS HIM “UNLESS YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, YOU CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD”.

    NICODEMUS NEEDED AN EXPLANATION ABOUT THAT STATEMENT SO JESUS EXPLAINED HOW WE MUST BE BORN OF THE SPIRIT. HE TOLD HIM THAT AS MOSES LIFTED THE BRONZE SNAKE ON A POLE IN THE WILDERNESS, (SEE NUMBERS 21:8,GOD TOLD MOSES TO MAKE A REPLICA OF A POISONOUS SNAKE AND ATTACH IT TO THE TOP OF A POLE. THOSE WHO ARE BITTEN BY A POISONOUS SNAKE WILL LIVE IF THEY SIMPLY LOOK AT IT.) THAT HE, JESUS, WOULD BE LIFTED UP ON A POLE AND THAT ALL WHO BELIEVED IN HIM WOULD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

     JESUS WENT ON TO SAY THAT GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE AND WOULD NOT PERISH.(JOHN 3:16) AND THEN, HE  SAID (JOHN 3:18) THAT THERE IS NO JUDGMENT WAITING FOR THOSE WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM.

     THIS LAST STATEMENT IS SO SIGNIFICANT. THIS WAS PROPHESIED BY ISAIAH 53:11, HE SAYS, “AND BECAUSE OF WHAT HE HAS EXPERIENCED, MY RIGHTEOUS SERVANT (JESUS)  WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR MANY TO BE COUNTED RIGHTEOUS, FOR HE WILL BEAR ALL THEIR SINS”.

    JUST THINK OF IT, WE ALL DESERVE DEATH, BUT IF WE JUST BELIEVE IN JESUS, THAT IS, WE ACCEPT HIM AS OUR SAVIOR, WE ARE CONSIDERED RIGHTEOUS AND ACCEPTABLE TO GOD NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE, BUT, BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS DID. JESUS WITH HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SIN AND THUS BECOMES OUR PASSOVER LAMB.                          TO GOD BE GLORY!

BY BRADLEY GILTON   559 553 3305   BGG721@AOL.COM