Thoughts

Thoughts on John 3:14-18

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

 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.

 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 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 3:14-18

Here Jesus talks about Himself the Son of man. He says that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so He must be lifted up. What is He talking about? Numbers 21 gives the account of God telling Moses to make a serpent of brass. Why did God do this? Earlier the people sinned against the Lord, and so He judged them and sent poisonous snakes among them, and they bit them. But the Lord was merciful. He told Moses to make a brass serpent on a pole, that anyone who looked on it would be healed. If people believed God and turned to look  they would be healed.This represents Jesus. 

Why was it a serpent on a pole? The people were bitten by serpents. It represented the judgment of God. Jesus on the cross shows the judgment of God. God couldn’t let sin go unpunished. And even when our sins were placed  on  His only begotten Son Jesus, God judged.

But like the brass serpent was for healing and not for condemnation, so the Father didn’t send Jesus into the world for condemnation. He sent Him to be a Saviour. If we just look to Jesus, acknowledge our sinfulness, and ask for forgiveness, we will be healed.

Just like the people bitten by the snakes were already doomed to die, so is every one of the human race condemned already who hasn’t trusted Jesus as Saviour.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 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 3:17-18


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:” Romans 5:12

Jesus says, “ . . . I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”(John 14.6).

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation . . .” (Heb 2.3).

Unless we ask Jesus to save us, we will have to face the judgment of God.

Devotional

He is the Propitiation

I’ve been reading different verses, and some things have jumped out at me. I was just rereading Titus 2:11. It reads, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,” 

So this verse tells us that the grace of God has appeared to all men. But what kind of grace has appeared to all men? This verse narrows it down to what type of grace it is. It is the kind of grace that brings salvation. So this verse clearly stated that the type of grace that brings salvation hath appeared to all men.

Also I John 2:2.  reads “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 

What does propitiation mean?  Propitiation means “atonement” according to Noah Webster and Strong’s Concordance.  So Jesus isn’t only the atonement for the sins of the Apostle John or the other saved people. He is the atonement for “the sins of the whole world”.


But even though that atonement is for the sins of the whole world, God makes it clear that it is only applied through faith in Jesus’ blood.

Now Romans 3:25 reads, “Whom God hath sent forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood . . .

God . . . commandeth all men every where to repent:” Acts 17:30

  No matter who you are, no matter what place you are in God has commanded you to repent.  It isn’t just for some people. The Greek word for “all men” is “anthropos” which means “mankind”. In addition to that we have the phrase  “every where” which is also translated “in all places”.

Luke 13:3 warns, “[E]xcept ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

Mark 1:15 says, “[R]epent ye, and believe the gospel.”

II Thessalonians 2:10 reads, “[B]ecause they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 

We read in Proverbs, “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.  Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded . . .I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh . . . For that they hated knowledge . . . ” (Pr. 1.23-29).

When we don’t receive the truth, we are setting ourselves up for destruction.

We need to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved!

 “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:  Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children . . . that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth . . .[T]he Gentiles . . . have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel . . . hath not attained to the law of righteousness. . . . Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 9:6-33


How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;” Hebrews 2:3

Uncategorized

Salvation Before Water Baptism

Hello everyone. Today I would like to share (again) with you something by D.N. Jackson. D.N. Jackson was an old Baptist pastor born in the 1800’s and living up to 1968. Even though living so far apart in time, I really enjoy his plain teachings from the Bible and find them easy to understand. I also find them very helpful. This is a transcript on a series he did on the topic of why we are saved before water baptism.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Scriptures

A Scripture for Today, July 6th, 2023

 “So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:15-16

“Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” II Timothy 1:8-9

Scriptures

A Scripture for Today, May 28th, 2023

“Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” John 6:28-29

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:3

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” Titus 3:4-5

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9