Pick a Side

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that however believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, ESV)

The Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16, is probably the most memorized verse in the entire Bible. Even those who do not profess to be Christians are familiar with it. Considering recent and ongoing events, I would suggest that we take a moment to truly meditate on that verse.

The Scripture says that God loved “the world”, and that encompasses all of His creation, including you and me. It doesn’t say that He loves you based on which political party you belong to. It doesn’t say that He loves you based on your race. It doesn’t say that He loves you based on how “good” you’ve been. And it certainly doesn’t say that He loves one ethnicity more than another. Scripture says that God loved the world; that’s ALL of us, my Friend. And that “all” includes those who are at war with God, as we once were. Those of us who are followers of Christ weren’t born as believers. In fact, the Bible tells us that we’re all born sinners (Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:10-12) and enemies of God (see Romans 5:10). It is only by God’s grace through faith that we can become a friend of God (John 15:14-15; Ephesians 2:8-9). These gifts are available to all who would believe in the finished works of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As evil continues to gain momentum both here and abroad, I humbly ask that you not take sides. God is not a respecter of persons, and we shouldn’t be either (Romans 2:11). If you must pick a side, choose to be on the side of Christ. Pray for peace. Pray for those who have not accepted the free gift of eternal life that can only be found through faith in the Messiah. Pray that the scales will fall from the eyes of those who persecute God’s elect and that the voice of God will transform their hearts and minds. Honor the Lord as the Righteous Judge and Master of all things, and place your trust in His only begotten Son. True peace can only be found in Him.

Peace and grace.