“He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness of what He has seen and heard, yet no one receives His testimony. He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without measure to Him.” John 3:31-34

As John the Baptist testified, Jesus is from above. He is the very Son of God come into this world to save us. He bears witness to the truth and speaks the very words of God because He came from God and the Spirit was given to Him without limit or restriction.

Though the world rejects the testimony of Jesus regarding God the Father and His plan of salvation, certainly, we want to hear and follow Jesus because of who He is and what He has done for us. His word is truth, and He alone is the way to be restored to fellowship with God the Father. Apart from Him, there is no way for sinful man to be acceptable to God or one with God.

And this brings me to a point I so appreciate: the simplicity of the Gospel.

“The Father loves the Son, and has placed all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life. He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:35-36

You can’t get much more clear and simple than that! Jesus is the Son of God. The Father loves Him and has entrusted our salvation into His hands. Jesus went to the cross and paid the price — He made full atonement for your sins, my sins, and the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2; John 1:29). As the Scriptures promise in Psalm 130:7, “With Him is plenteous redemption.”

The one who believes on the Son — who looks to Jesus Christ and His cross in faith — has eternal life. The one who doesn’t look to the Son in faith “shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

This, of course, echoes the words of our Lord Jesus earlier in John 3. Jesus told Nicodemus: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. … He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16,18).

Both John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus called upon all to repent and look to Jesus in faith. They both clearly taught that we are justified, forgiven and made acceptable to God through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Apart from such faith, we are not justified and forgiven but remain dead in our trespasses and sins and under the wrath and condemnation of God (cf. John 8:24; Eph. 2:1ff.).

It is as the apostle John writes in His first epistle (1 John 5:11-12): “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” Or, as we read in the ending of Mark’s Gospel (Mark 16:16): “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

This is why we look to Jesus and His life-giving Word for our salvation. It is why we trust in Him and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for our pardon and our forgiveness! There is no other way (cf. John 14:6; Acts 4:12)!

O gracious and merciful God, grant that we do not reject the Son or His testimony to the truth but repent of our sins and look to Him and His cross for pardon and forgiveness. In Jesus, name, we pray. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2 (Read Romans 6:1-14)

“Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” The close of Romans 5 points out that where sin abounded, grace abounded even more (5:20). So, should we take advantage of the richness of God’s grace toward us in Christ and continue on in our old sinful ways?

It is a sad fact that many do just that. Since they are saved by grace, they feel it is okay to continue in sin because there is forgiveness for all sins in Christ. We, as Christians, often face the temptation to use the same rationale, thinking we can yield to the sinful desires of our flesh now and repent later.

How does the apostle Paul, writing not his own words and opinions but the word and opinion of God, answer this question? “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

What we so often forget is that, in baptism, we were joined to Christ in His death and in His resurrection. Our old sinful nature and all our sins were nailed to the cross of Jesus and punished there. We died with Christ and were laid in His tomb.

But, as Christ was raised from the dead and lives, so also we were raised up by the gracious working of God and are alive to Him (cf. Col. 2:11-15).

The apostle Paul wrote: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life“ (v.3-4).

What is the apostle saying? When we acknowledged our utter sinfulness and placed our faith in Jesus and His blood shed for us on the cross, when we were brought into the new covenant of grace which Christ established through His innocent sufferings and death on the cross in our stead, we died. You and I are dead. Our sinful nature and all our sins were crucified on Calvary.

And, as Jesus rose from the dead, we were made alive to God. We know God, trust in Him, and seek to live for our God and Savior (cf. 2 Cor. 5:15ff.). The old you and me no longer live, but Christ now lives in and through you and me.

It is for this reason that we do not continue in sin and yield ourselves to the sinful desires of our old evil nature inherited from Adam. As Paul wrote, “For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (v. 10-11).

We know that to live in sin brings death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ, our Lord (v.23). And so, rather than continuing in sin and death, we live through faith in Christ Jesus, who died for our sins and rose again!

We remember daily our baptism and continue in God’s covenant of grace. We acknowledge our sins and failures to live in accord with God’s Word and receive forgiveness and new life in Christ Jesus our Savior. And we walk in that new life, living for God as those alive from the dead.

O gracious and merciful God, grant that we not abuse Your grace toward us in Christ Jesus but count ourselves to be dead to sin and alive to You through faith in Jesus and His cross. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison. Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:22-30

Ministers often tend to focus on themselves and their work because of their selfish and sinful flesh. Ministers come out of college or seminary with hopes and dreams of great success in the ministry (often measured in human standards like numbers and followers), and ministers even become somewhat jealous of the successes of others in the ministry.

Ministers might even count themselves to be more diligent and wonder why people are not flocking to hear the words of their sermons or coming to them to be baptized.

I think we see this in the opening verses of this Bible text. Disciples of John the Baptist voiced concern that Jesus and His disciples were also baptizing, and more people were going to Jesus for baptism than those coming to John.

John’s answer provides a true lesson for all of us. “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.”
Not only do ministries given and entrusted to men come from heaven; the fruits of ministries — their successes — are God’s working and His blessing upon the humble labors of faithful ministers of the Gospel.

John reminded his disciples: “Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.” John had clearly told his disciples and hearers that he was not the Messiah but only a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the people for Messiah’s coming. And John had pointed His disciples to Jesus, saying in John 1:29-31: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”

As we see in John, chapter 3, John the Baptist told his disciples: “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Instead of being upset or even jealous because of his decreasing ministry and the fact the people were now following Jesus and going to Him to hear His Word and to be baptized for the remission of their sins, John rejoiced and said these astounding words: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Is that how those called to be ministers of the Gospel conduct their ministries? Do ministers rejoice when their hearers no longer follow them because of who they are and what they do and say but instead follow Jesus and cling to His Word because of who He is, what He has done, and what He teaches and reveals to us?

Remember John the Baptist’s words: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Dear Lord Jesus, grant to ministers of the Gospel humble hearts and a willingness to faithfully preach and teach Your life-giving Word in whatever place they are called to serve. And grant that they rejoice when their hearers follow Christ Jesus, the Savior who was sacrificed for the sins of the world, and grow in His Word. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Psalm 51:1-9

I once had a bumper sticker on my car that said, “Christians Aren’t Perfect, Just Forgiven!” And how true that is!

David, the human author used by God to pen Psalm 51, certainly wasn’t perfect. While he was the king of Israel, he committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite; and he then arranged for Uriah to be killed in battle in an attempt to cover up his sin (2 Samuel 11).

When David attempted to hide and cover up his sin, God’s hand was heavy upon him (Psalm 32:3-4). But when he finally acknowledged and confessed his sin, God graciously forgave him and cleansed him of all his iniquities (Psalm 32:5; 2 Samuel 12).

Psalm 51 is David’s prayer to God for mercy and forgiveness: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (v. 1-2).

David acknowledged his sins to the LORD God: “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom” (v.4-6).

God would have been just to judge and condemn David for his sin. David was guilty! And God would also be just to judge and condemn us for our sins against His holy commandments, for we too are guilty!

David prayed: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities” (v. 7-9).

David’s prayer reveals his faith in God’s mercy. He was confident that, if God “purged” away his sin, he would be “clean,” and if God washed away his sin, he would be “whiter than snow.”

David trusted in the words of Psalm 130:7-8: “Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.”

The LORD God did provide redemption in His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the righteous demands of God’s law perfectly in our stead and then suffered and died on the cross, paying in full the just punishment for the sins of all. Indeed, “with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption”!

Because Jesus died for our sins and rose again, God reaches out to us in mercy, offering to us and all sinners pardon and forgiveness through faith in the atoning sacrifice offered up by Jesus in our stead. When we “confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” because “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 1:9; 2:1,2).

Because of the redemption accomplished by Christ Jesus, we, like David, can look to God in faith for mercy and forgiveness. We can confidently pray: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7).

O merciful God, cleanse me and purge away my sins in the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross for the sins of all, and I shall be clean and whiter than snow! Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also [is] the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as [it was] by one that sinned, [so is] the gift: for the judgment [was] by one to condemnation, but the free gift [is] of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:12-21

Here is an amazing truth we seldom consider. Through the sin of the first man, Adam, death was passed down to all men; but through the righteousness of the second man, Jesus Christ, forgiveness and life are made available to all men.

When Adam disobeyed the commandment of the Lord and ate the forbidden fruit in the garden (Genesis 3), he brought physical and spiritual death into the world upon all mankind. Not only did Adam die spiritually and become afraid of God, and eventually die physically and return to the dust of the ground, but every descendant of Adam has been born into this world in spiritual death, not loving God or trusting and honoring Him, and every descendent of Adam is subject to physical death and also eternal death and damnation.

Through Adam’s sin, all are judged by God to be sinners and, in fact, live in sin and disobedience to God. And this was true even during that time when the law of God was not yet given through Moses and recorded as a witness against all mankind.

But when God sent His only-begotten Son into the world, a true man, to fulfill the holy and perfect will of God in His thoughts, desires, words, and deeds, and when He suffered and died for the ungodly and paid in full the just penalty for the sins of the whole world, the benefits of His perfect sacrifice — pardon and forgiveness for all our sins, and His perfect righteousness — were made available to all mankind.

This means that you and me — though born into this world condemned sinners and subject to death, and though we have in our thoughts, desires, words, and deeds transgressed God’s holy commandments — can now look to Christ in faith and be accounted of God forgiven and righteous in His sight for Jesus’ sake.

Instead of coming to us in judgment and with a sentence of eternal death and damnation, God reaches out to us with mercy and forgiveness and offers us life everlasting for the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ! Cf. John 3:16-17.

And so, the second Adam, Christ, is not like the first Adam; for the first Adam brought upon us a sentence of condemnation and death; Christ won for us God’s acquittal, for Adam’s sin and all our own sins as well, and a sentence of life eternal in the everlasting kingdom of our God and Savior.

When we place our faith in Christ, God’s acquittal and His gracious gift of life in Christ Jesus become our own. Because Christ died for the sins of the world and rose again on the third day, we can look to Him in faith and be certain of our justification. We can be sure that, in Christ, our sins are paid for in full and forgiven. And we can be sure of life, that we too will be raised up on the last day unto life everlasting in heaven, for Jesus’ sake.

Dearest Lord Jesus, we thank You for fulfilling all righteousness in our stead and for bearing on the cross the full and just punishment for Adam’s sin, our sin, and the sin of the world, that in You, we might have pardon, forgiveness, and life everlasting. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]