“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
Comment: The story of Moses with the deadly snakes as shown yesterday boiled down to God saying to the Israelites, who were suffering in the Wilderness; ‘you choose – get bitten and die or believe Me, in faith look to the emblem, which I’ve provided and which you don’t understand, and I’ll heal you.’ Jesus makes this comparison – The problem now is that all people are in rebellion to God. God still loves people and is about to have Jesus crucified (lifted up) so that people can see Him. Not an emblem but a perfectly adequate sacrifice in God’s eyes for Him to be able to with integrity forgive people who believe Him, in what He is saying and doing! God wants to forgive rather than to add to the condemnation which is already in place. This explanation is THE LIGHT on what is happening. Here is the choice – 1. turn to this life giving explanation in simple trust or 2. refuse to desert your wicked ways and the consequence is then – live with your condemnation.
Prayer: Help me to choose aright, O God!
As I read it! 