The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up

Narrator: Chris Genthree
John 3:14  •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 5
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God does not save people as saints, but as sinners. Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners; hence, however religious, people may become, they will not suit God. He does not want religious people, but sinners. Religion or no religion, good or bad; the word to each is, “Ye must be born again.” This is the necessity on the sinner’s part, but there is also a solemn necessity of righteousness on God’s side. My sins deserve judgment, my nature is radically bad, and unimprovable, my will delights in evil. How, then, can I be brought into God’s presence in peace? A new life, only in the Son of God, is given to the believer. He that believeth on Mini “hath everlasting life.” The Son of Man has been lifted up. Where? On the cross. On Him God executed the judgment due to my nature, my will; instead of it being sanctified, it is set aside in judgment on the cross. How contrary to the thoughts of men! “Sin” – that is, the root, has been “condemned” (Rom. 8:33For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3)); “sins” – that is, the fruit, are ‘‘forgiven” (Rom. 14:77For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. (Romans 14:7)). How complete! How thorough the work God has wrought for the sinner! All has been righteously dealt with, nothing has been slurred over. The guiltless dies for the guilty, the just One suffers for the unjust. The sinner’s adorable substitute on the cross meets the claims of God in full. He paid in blood the dreadful score, the ransom due. He set aside to God, also, to the faith of everyone who believeth, all the life’s belongings, and the life itself, met the responsibilities, discharged the liabilities, and settled to all eternity every claim of God upon the Adam-life. Now, as gone on high to God’s right hand, He is the head of a new race; He is the source of eternal life to all who believe. “Ye must be born again;’ ye must have a new life. “Where am I to get it” do you reply? In Jesus the Son of God, for “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Dost thou believe on the Son of God?