Salvation, Redemption, Purification, Wholeness, Glorification

In today’s Gospel, John 3: 16-21, John reminds us that God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn it, but “that the world might be saved through him.”

From the very moment that Adam and Eve walked their own ways, disobeying God, God put a plan of salvation into place.  No way, would God leave humankind to its own devices, to its disobedience and to being subject to rejecting God forever. No!  He would send a Savior to redeem us from Satan.  We belong to God. We are His. His plans that we live with Him eternally would not be thwarted by Satan. Satan has no more power over us, as Jesus took him on by His obedience to the Father unto death.  Jesus destroyed both Satan and the power of death, physical and spiritual by His death and resurrection. In Christ Jesus, we, too, will triumph over death and Satan. Alleluia!

Jesus comes into your life and mine, not to condemn us, but to save us, to glorify us as He was glorified in His resurrection from the dead.  That same privilege is ours, if we believe in the Lord, if we seek God above all else, if we follow good spirits and not evil ones, if we rely upon the Lord in our struggles against Satan, who seeks to devour us, to catch us in his lies. What lies? That when we listen to the Tempter, that is, when we give into temptations to "have some fun," to cheat, lie, steal, engage in sex outside of marriage, to act unjustly, to get whatever we want at the expense of others, by experimenting with illegal drugs, in short, by following our own will and rejecting the will of God,  our "eyes will be opened and [we] will be like gods, knowing good from evil" (Gen 3:5),  as Satan told Adam and Eve in the Garden.

God approaches you and me at those times, not to condemn but to save us from the Evil One. Am I ready to surrender to the One who can save me from death, cradle me in His arms and whisk me away from the Tempter?

Christian Calling: Contrast to Secular Invitations

In today’s first reading, 1 Cor 6:1-11, Paul is challenging us concerning the choices we make when in serious conflict with our “brothers and sisters”?  He is asking why we have recourse to a secular legal system without seeking out judges among ourselves who adhere to the values of the Gospels, to the commandments and church law, to persons endowed with the wisdom of the Spirit, faithful to the Lord, living God-centered lives?  Do we go to the Lord and seek His counsel concerning “everyday matters” before seeking secular advice? When having recourse to others, do we first look at the background of such a person.   “Can it be that there is not one among you [servants of the Lord] wise enough to be able to settle a case between brothers [and sisters]?”

Why is it that we are following the secular legal system that promotes gay marriages, abortion on demand, wife swapping, co-habiting, cheating on one’s neighbor, engaging in slander against our opponents, judging and condemning others, and so on, according to the standards of the world?  “Do not be deceived,” Paul says to us; “neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor sodomites nor thieves nor greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the Kingdom of God. That is what some of you used to be,” Paul reminds the Corinthians; “but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of our God.”

Let us, too, remember our background. We too have been washed in the blood of Christ. We are sanctified by the Holy Spirit and we are justified in the name of Jesus, our Savior.  We are not unbelievers. We are not outside the fold. We are members of the one sheepfold shepherded by Jesus Himself. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27), not the voice of a secular society. Or do we?