Knowing Jesus Savingly

This past week I prepared a funeral message on John 3:16, the text that the family requested. It is probably the best known verse in the Bible but also the least understood. “God so loved the world.” Contrary to what many think, so does not describe the magnitude of divine love (there is another word for that purpose). Rather, this is an adverb that modifies “to love.” It means “in this way” or “after this manner.” God loved the world in this way—that He gave His only begotten Son. God sent His son into the world (v. 17) to do something in order to save the world from His wrath due to their sinning against Him (v. 36). How does God do this?

One verse in John’s opening “prologue” (John 1:1-18) answers the question. Verse 14 says that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Verse 18 says, “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” We cannot know God apart from His revealing Himself to us through His Son. God saves by revealing His glory through His Son.

Someone says, “I thought that Jesus came to bring salvation to those who will accept His offer.” Much of today’s Christian message aims to get people to make decisions about what Jesus offers: we must make a decision about being saved in the way one decides whether or not to buy a vacuum cleaner. That is treating salvation like a commodity; however, such a decision is no evidence of real saving grace. One may make a decision, think he going to heaven but remain in his fallen state. It is true that Jesus came to bring salvation, but salvation is not a commodity. Jesus did not simply purchase something by His death and resurrection that we can decide to take or leave. Jesus said, “This is eternal life that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I have glorified you on earth [by revealing the Father], having accomplished the work that you gave me to do” (John 17:3, 4).

Salvation is a gracious work on God’s part to rescue a people for His name by restoring their relationship to Him through the cross work of Jesus Christ. Paul viewed salvation as knowing Jesus, not getting something from Him (Philippians 3:7-11). Saved people will “being found in Him” (Philippians 3:9).

Over the years, I have met many people who think that they are going to heaven because at some point in life they made a decision to “be saved.” Yet, they do not know Jesus, nor do they care to know Him. They never read their Bibles. They seldom, if ever go to church. Now, contrast that with John’s declaration to have “seen his glory, glory . . . full of grace and truth.” Should not such a vision of glory radically alter one’s life? How can anyone see the wonder of Jesus and return to business as usual? So, do you know only your decision, or do you really know Jesus Christ?