With every new beginning or goal we set, we have to ask what the rationale is for making a change, or in some cases, why we keep going in the same direction. We must question, “What is your why?” In the social media context, everything is done to increase engagement, which could lead to more money made. However, this direction may prevent the content creator from speaking the truth or their true feelings. Similarly, the church can find itself seeking engagement to get more members and bring in more money. However, that can contradict God’s mission for the church in our communities. Therefore, the church needs to question its purpose and always ensure that it reflects the will of Christ Jesus. At the end of John 12, Jesus reminds His followers of His purpose: to bring salvation to humanity. Therefore, as we reflect upon the scripture below, we need to seek where God might call the church and its members to co-labor with Christ in sharing the Gospel.
44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), John 12:44-50.
The advent of Jesus Christ in human history was not a random occurrence but the deliberate fulfillment of the salvation of humankind. This purpose originated from the very nature of God and addressed the separation caused by sin. The need for reconciliation was paramount, and Jesus’ coming was the ultimate expression of God’s redemption. His mission originated with the will of the Father. Thus, Jesus didn’t act independently but was perfectly united with God the Father, driven by love and desire to restore humanity. As such, Jesus’ mission was explicitly oriented towards redemption rather than condemnation. Even though humanity, through sin, deserves judgment, God intervenes through Christ to prioritize mercy and redemption. Jesus aimed to offer pure grace, bringing humanity back to God rather than retributive justice. Jesus clearly articulated this focus by stating, “I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” The invitation extends to every person, in every era, reflecting God’s desire that none should perish but that all might find life through Christ. The care shown in this act reflects the boundless nature of God’s love and the sufficiency of Christ’s work for all people. Therefore, Jesus’ advent wasn’t about establishing guilt, which already existed, but about providing the remedy for all people.
He does not directly impose the judgment described in the teachings of Jesus but is instead a natural consequence of rejecting His words and the eternal truths they convey. Jesus explicitly stated that His mission was not to judge the world but to save it, emphasizing that His role was redemption rather than condemnation. However, He also clarified that the response to His words carries eternal significance. For those who hear His teachings and fail to believe or obey, Jesus does not judge them immediately. However, failure to obey the law and remain in sin repudiates Jesus’ message of hope. It thus underscores the authority of His message, which aligns perfectly with the will of the Father, who entrusted Him with the gospel of eternal life. To persist in faith and obedience is to live aligned with God’s salvation message, which promises everlasting life. Conversely, rejecting Jesus and His teachings ultimately leads to judgment, as sin inherently brings guilt, alienation from God, and spiritual death. However, the church must set its mission to align with God and share the message of grace that Jesus bore the ultimate judgment for sin on the cross, offering salvation through His obedience and sacrifice; those who refuse to accept this gift remain under condemnation by their own choice. Thus, while salvation remains Jesus’ primary aim, judgment is inevitable for those who reject Him, as His words testify to truth and life.
In contrast, Sin is fundamentally associated with darkness, a state of separation from and ignorance of God, while Jesus Christ embodies the pure, illuminating Light of God’s truth and presence. Because light inherently dispels darkness, the two cannot coexist; where Jesus truly abides, the darkness of sin must recede. Jesus Himself declared His purpose in coming into the world, stating, “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” Revealing the natural condition of humanity as being enveloped in darkness—a spiritual blindness characterized by ignorance of God’s righteous judgment and limitless mercy. Jesus’ salvic actions offer deliverance from this state. Believing in Him, trusting in His identity and work, is the very means by which individuals are transferred from the realm of darkness into His marvelous light, thereby attaining salvation. By embracing the Light, people are freed from the darkness they were found in, fulfilling Jesus’ mission. Furthermore, this dynamic extends to those who follow Christ; just as He is the Light, His followers, collectively forming the church, are also commissioned to be lights in the world. Illuminated by Jesus through faith, their lives and actions reflect His light, showcasing good works that draw others not to themselves, but to glorify God.
Through the church’s active engagement in our communities, they must choose whether to primarily focus on the darkness of sin with a potentially alienating judgmental stance, or to intentionally bring the light of Christ through acts of love, grace, hope, and service. While acknowledging sin’s reality, the church’s purpose is to draw people closer to Jesus, not to condemn. Following Jesus’ lead in the passage. To carry out this task, the church must submit to humility, recognize our need for grace, and understand that salvation is God’s work through Christ. Therefore, believers are called not to save, but to be witnesses—sharing the Gospel message and demonstrating its transformative power through their lives, thereby showing the community the hope and love in Christ Jesus.
Horizon Community Church 