He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:31-36 ESV)
He who comes from Heaven is above all and He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives His testimony sets His seal to this, that God is true… Wait a minute. Didn’t John say that Jesus bears witness to everything He knows, yet no one receives the testimony, yet those who receive the testimony set the seal that God is truth. So does anyone get the testimony or not? First he says no one receives it, but then says what happens when someone does…
I’m a little confused, of course it is not the first time or the last time I will be confused by John, that is one reason I love the book, because it always keeps you on your toes and thinking. It seems clear cut, and then you read it again and something pops up you hadn’t seen or heard quite that way before and it shakes things loose and you wonder what he means.
It is like our faith. We get set in and think we have it all figured out, then something happens that shakes us and makes us rethink somethings. We have not lost our faith, but we wonder about somethings and how they impact our lives, and the way we saw things is not the same. This is not bad, it helps our faith to grow and surround us and envelope all of our lives. It makes us deepen those roots that are in Christ and to cling to Him all the more. For whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure, so believe in the son and the one who sent Him. The promise is real and you will have eternal life and abundance of love. You will be sheltered in your doubt and questioning by a love that will grow stronger and roots that will go deeper.
Live in your faith and doubt it, allowing God to nurture ad water you in the process as you grow closer to Him.
aSacredRebel 