HOOK
When was the last time you did something bad? Something you regretted, or wished that you had not ever done in the first place? Even worse, what if you did something you personally do not regret, but hope no one ever finds out? How does this make you feel? Shameful? Guilty? Paranoid?
These are all feelings that someone who has committed sin has experienced at some point or another. Whether it is stealing a pack of gum or cheating on your spouse, a sin is a sin, and it can cause fairly intense feelings within us. These feelings are dealt with differently depending on the person; some people choose to confess, own up to what they did, and do their best not to do it again by exposing this truth to light. However, there are those who choose to hide that cruel fact away in the dark, hoping that no one sees what they do.
People who prefer the latter option like things in the dark – it seems safe to them, private and comforting. They think they can get away with murder as long as they keep the facts well hidden, even from themselves. There are those who will do these evil things and not even acknowledge them, as the only way they can reconcile this with sleeping soundly is to cut it out of their lives.
You see a phrase all the time in the bleachers, on the street, anytime you see a protest sign – John 3:16. “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.” It is a very popular passage in the Bible, possibly the verse that most succinctly encompasses the very nature of Christianity. However, what follows this passage is often ignored, despite the fact that it is arguably far more potent observations on human behavior, and how we should behave in the presence of God. It elaborates on the subject of goodness far more than John 3:16, and helps to delineate the nature of evil more vividly. Hopefully, by understanding John 3:19 through 21 more clearly, one can see why it is no longer a viable option to hide in the dark anymore. The entirety of one’s life must be brought out into the light if they are to have any chance at solace in the eyes of the Lord.
BOOK
“This is the verdict: 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.” (John 3:19-21). These are the words of John 3:19-21. What are we to take from this?
In essence, the natures of light and dark are explored in these verses. Light is mentioned first; in its original context, the word for light was ‘phos,’ meaning to manifest or shine. In this context, however, does light mean the sun shining, or is Christ the light we have been looking for? The transcendental light, naturally, is the message to take from this. “Light has come into the world” refers to Jesus’ coming; the phrase ‘come into’ implies a welcoming, the light itself blessing us with its presence. Of course, by its very nature, light illuminates what once was dark, leading to the next part of the verse – “but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” Let us stop for a second to consider something; according to this verse, Light had only just now come into the world, therefore implying that people had lived in darkness beforehand, due to absence of light.
What does this mean to us? For one, it implies that people had no choice but to perform evil, ‘dark’ deeds because there was no light in the world. Seeing as that was their only choice, they ‘loved’ darkness. They had to, since it was all that they knew. However, with the arrival of Christ, there arrived a better option: light, healing, goodness. Of course, dark, like light, is not literal in this sense; it refers to the evil and misdeeds inherent in mankind.
John 3:20 moves on to allow those who remain in the darkness to have some hope of redemption – “for everyone that doeth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” This, of course, does not mean that Jesus was saying that everyone who has done evil still hates the light, but there are good reasons why they refuse to come out into it. Having their deeds ‘reproved’ means acknowledging them, exposing them, showing everyone in the world what they did. They love the things they do, but do not want to be held accountable to them. They fear being convicted of crimes, of being embarrassed by other people knowing their desires, and more. That simple exposure can scare sinners to death; they can barely admit some of their misdeeds to themselves, let alone others.
In John 3:21, the final verse hammers home these previous two points through the authority of Christ. “But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light” – this alludes further to the idea of being honest with yourself about what you have done. Sweeping things under the rug does nothing but hide the mess. Eventually, Jesus will look under that rug, see the mess, and know what you did. If you truly want to repent, you “come to the light” by embracing Jesus and being honest with him and yourself.
These things are done “so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.” In this case, a person’s “works” are his efforts to redeem himself and change his life for the better. By coming in to the light, things can be illuminated, or ‘shown,’ taking the metaphor even further. Having the works “accomplished” by God alludes to His work in removing the evil from your life, and granting you a special place in His heaven.
LOOK
When we are given the choice of light instead of darkness, what do we do? There are many who would choose to remain in darkness. It is comfortable to them; it reminds them of their lives before Christ, or even knowing about them. They are, understandably, afraid of what being in the light means to them – giving up all those worldly sinful pleasures that they cherish so much. They want to get away with sloth, drunkenness, infidelity, and being accountable to no one but themselves. We must be better than that; we must embrace the light Jesus offers us and permit ourselves a better, more virtuous life than that.
How do the principles of 3:19-21 apply to our real lives? It is quite simple, really; one must be aware of ultimate accountability. Whatever we do, we are not the only ones to know about it. We can try to hide it away in our memories, in deleted Internet browser histories and hidden bank accounts. We can hide it away in the trash can, the garbage disposal, the glove box. However, God can see through all of those barriers into your very soul, and see what you did. What’s more, you know what you did as well; just knowing that you did eats you up inside.
That reason is why sinners love the darkness so much; they do not have to take a good, long look at their transgressions. Examining our own behavior and holding ourselves accountable is what separates us from animals; if we do not self-examine, if we do not weigh our impulses against what God would want us to do (or what is right in our hearts and the hearts of others), there is no filter for our actions. We instead act on a glandular, instinctual basis, making us one step closer to rutting, violent brutes. Without the light of God to keep us accountable, there can be no consequences for our actions.
The biggest folly that a sinner commits is thinking that, by hiding in the darkness, God cannot see him. This is not true; he is merely hiding his transgressions from everyone around him, and himself as well. However, their actions affect more than just them – spouses, friends and family members can also be damaged or hurt by what is done. By remaining in the darkness, one is powerless to help them, or stop them from experiencing that pain. They cannot explain what they have done, because they are ashamed of what others will say. Furthermore, they shame themselves in the process, and we, being prideful beings, want to put forth our best front, saving face whenever possible.
We never want to admit when we have done wrong, even when it is accidental. This is natural; we want to believe we are doing the right thing, that nothing in our lives is going wrong. The illusion in this is clear; we all do things that are wrong from time to time. By not admitting it, we are lying to ourselves and to God. Keeping our transgressions in the dark does not make us better people; it makes us more shadowy, more willing to hide parts of ourselves from the things we love. This is no way to live; this is definitely no way to love.
In relationships, infidelity is one of the biggest secrets that can tear up a marriage or courtship. Even when the other person never finds out about the cheating, the person who committed it has all manner of questions running through their brain – why did I do it? Should I tell her? What will happen if she finds out on her own? Is this over already? A litany of doubts enter the mind, and they can never be released, due to the fear of letting these things into the light. They must, however, be revealed; God already knows about the infidelity, and the guilt of the act itself will surely deteriorate the relationship, perhaps beyond repair, if this is not addressed.
TOOK
The primary thing to take away from John 3:19-21 is the idea that our sins follow us, no matter how brightly they are illuminated. There is no way to escape the things we do, as they will always be in our hearts and the eyes of God. From the smallest infraction to truly terrible things, everything will come out eventually, and they will never leave your thoughts and memory as long as you live. Without absolution, they will plague you and cause you to worry about your future, always looking behind your back to see when the other shoe will drop. In a way, people simply end up running from whatever they did; it is a difficult thing to face, but true strength from the Lord will see you through to the other side.
What do you do in light of this fact? Keep in mind the principles of John 3:19-21; light or dark, you know the sins you have committed. These things will never last long in the darkness; eventually, they will be brought to light. The question, then, becomes: who will bring them out? Is it you? Or God? If it is God, there is little to no growth on your part; you were never truly sorry for them, you were just sorry for getting caught.
However, if you do own up to your transgressions, and ask God for forgiveness, He will find it in His heart to forgive you and release you for your sins. John 3:16, the prelude to this passage, gives us the reason why: Jesus died so that you can have that privilege. His ultimate sacrifice paved the way for your salvation, which makes him someone you should always be thankful for. Without him, you would never find peace in your transgressions; Jesus grants that to you, provided you face them with honesty, strength, and faith in Him.
Next time you feel those butterflies in your stomach when you steal that pack of gum, run that red light, or take that extra-long vacation with your secretary, keep this passage in mind. The point of this message is not that you could totally keep sinning, as long as you forgive yourself for it later. The point of the passage is that, despite the things you have done in the past, once you make the decision to follow Christ and let His light enter your life, you can finally deal with your past transgressions. Through this process, you will be healed, and strive your best to follow a virtuous and good life. When you are truly repentant, you will realize that following Christ is not a get-out-of-Hell-free card; it is the chance to know something bigger than yourself, and the opportunity to live in a way that honors both Him and your fellow man.
