John 3:18-21 "Exposed"

 Whoever believes in him [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.  Here is the basis of condemnation: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Something I have noticed on the internet -on any given Christian forum, on any given day, you will find someone absolutely going off on Christians.  These people come to Christian websites and get angry that Christians believe in Jesus and love God.  It doesn't really make sense.  And yet, in light of this passage, it does.

People who love evil have a pretty big stake in the concept of no God.  If there is a God -especially if God is loving and patient and merciful and forgiving, then there is no valid excuse for pursuing evil instead of good.  So people who prefer evil (darkness) over truth and goodness (light) go to every extreme to justify their wrong thinking. 

Everyone who does evil hates the light because light exposes whatever is inside.    It is hard to keep secrets in the light.   Light exposes everything.  In fact, the light exposes evil in my heart just as it exposes the evil inside someone who hates God.  But there is an obvious difference.  Because I love God and believe and have committed myself to Jesus, I am not condemned.  There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  So, I have nothing to fear by my sin and wrong thinking and bad attitudes, etc. being exposed. 

To put it another way, since I desire to be right with God, being exposed simply shows me what is still there.  In a sense, for those who love God, being exposed is helpful.  We want to know the truth about ourselves because it is only when we know the truth that we can repent and allow God make the needed changes.

Interestingly, the same light that produces anger and hostility in those who hate God, produces intimacy with God in those who love Him.