Jesus Came to Save, Not to Judge

This morning I am reading from the twelfth chapter of John's  Gospel.  There is much that occurs in that chapter, but I am reflecting on the last few verses - John 12:44-50 NIV:

[44] "Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. [45] The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. [46] I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness."

[47] “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. [48] There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. [49] For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. [50] I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

I have reflected on the theme of Jesus representing the Father many times, but it just never gets old.  Here in verse 45 Jesus says that when we look at Him, we see the Father.  We don't need to wonder what the Father is like, we can look at Jesus, at what is recorded about Him, to His words and actions and see the Father.  His words, His actions, His compassion, His gentleness, His forgiveness, He mercy, His interest in the individual, His love for children, His healings, all are representative of the Father.

Secondly, Jesus says that He came into the world as a light.  I am reminded of Ps 36, which I happened to be reflecting on yesterday.

Psalm 36:5-9 NIV:

[5] "Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
[6] Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
[7] How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
[8] They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.
[9] For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light."

Yes, He brings illumination, and with that light, we see the Light of the Father. The light of life, the light of God, shines forth in Jesus, in  His words and in His actions, and now in His church!

His next section is quite interesting in that He speaks about judgment, and His role.  He clearly says that He came, not to judge, but to save! (Verse 47 above).  Sometimes I think the church takes these few verses and mistakenly creates a hammer of judgment from the word of God, for Jesus says it is His words that will condemn them on the last day.  Thus, we think we can hammer people with the Word, and  threaten them with condemnation, in the hopes of saving them.  We beat people with the Word, extracting rules and regulations, demanding they are obedient and telling them any faltering is potentially rewarded with eternal condemnation. We love the idea of His words being the judge, for we can make them into black and white rules for salvation or condemnation.  We are so focused on judgment, we miss the first statement that Jesus made, namely that He came to save the world!

It is interesting, we can get so focused on one thing that we miss everything else.  It is like when someone is speaking and they say something that reminds us of a memory we have, and instead of continuing to listen, we go off thinking about that memory.  In this case Jesus is talking about relationship with Him, relationship with the Father, looking to Him and to His words and actions and seeing the Father.  If we look at the scriptural record we see exactly how Jesus responded to sinners, to the lost, to the weary, to the unsaved.  He was constantly inviting those (and us) into relationship, and it is only in that context that salvation and eternal life is received (John 17:3).  In verse 47 above, Jesus speaks about hearing and keeping His words.  The Greek word that is translated keep,  could also have been translated treasures, guards, or protects.  He is speaking about all that He has said previously and encouraging the people to guard and protect and treasure all those words.  It is in embracing them, and choosing to repent, choosing to change, choosing to live differently, choosing relationship with Him, that Jesus is pointing to here, for that is exactly what He was just discussing.

As I look at the verses above I understand the following:

1) Jesus came to reveal the Father to us.
2) When we look at Jesus, we see the Father.
3) Jesus' life was meant to be a light to the world.
4) Now that we have seen the light (His life and example), we are given the opportunity to change, to embrace relationship with Him and the Father.
5) How we embrace (Keep) that invitation and example and choose to change, is significant.
6) Jesus came to bring revelation, and to offer salvation to the whole world (and that is the Father's heart as well).
7) Our lives will be examined on the last day, and the hope of the Father and Jesus is that we enter eternal life with them.
8) They have shown us the way, and it is our choice to follow or not, but it is always God's heart to save!
9) Jesus came to save, not to judge, and we should have that same heart.

Lord, my prayer is that we embrace Your heart more fully!  That we might represent You, even as You represented the Father.  We pray that we might be encouraged to keep, to protect, to embrace and treasure Your word and example, and that in doing so we might become more like you! We want to be a light, even as You are the Light!

Amen!