Scripture
10Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man[1] has come down from heaven. 14And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.[2]
16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave[3] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.[4]”
Translation notes (4)
- 3:13 Some manuscripts add who lives in heaven. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
- 3:15 Or everyone who believes will have eternal life in him.
- 3:16 Or For God loved the world so much that he gave.
- 3:21 Or can see God at work in what he is doing.
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Who is one person in your life who has had an impact on you? How did they impact you? In what ways do you do your best to emulate them? The truth is, when people in our lives impact us, we change. We are positively affected by these influencers, and our lives and actions are different as a result. On a much, much, greater level, God’s impact in our lives and His love changes us. It is meant to influence us from the inside out.
1 John 4 could not be clearer. “Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (verses 7-8a). Those who love others belong to God and know Him. Why? God, Himself, is love (verse 8b). Because of this, it stands to reason that a follower of Christ would become more loving, like Him. After all, we become more like the people we spend our time around, so it only makes sense that followers of Christ emulate His love.
How do we know that God is love? We know that He is love by His actions. John 3 tells us just how much He loved the world. His love for people, including you and me, was so great that He sent Jesus, His Son, to come to earth and pay the price required for our sin, death, so that we could have eternal life with Him. That is the greatest love you and I will ever have. Indeed, God is love.
How has God’s love impacted you? When you look at your life, do you reflect His love to the people around you? After all, when you know God, who Himself is love, and experience His love, it is impossible not to be impacted and show that love to others every day.
Moving Toward Action
Go on a walk today and reflect on God’s love for you. Listen to your favorite worship songs. As you think about God’s love, think about how it has changed you. Do others experience God’s love through you? What is one thing you can do this week to show someone His love for them?
Going Deeper
Read John 3:10-21 (NLT)
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