- Sin
- Righteousness, and
- Judgment.
This simple statement rests on Jesus' definition of sin. If we do not understand Jesus' definition of sin, nothing else makes sense in this text - and in the Scriptures.
Some already smell the popcorn. The entire Gospel foundation is established here, by the Son of God, recorded and taught by the "disciple Jesus loved." This Gospel always had the highest authority as directly apostolic, which is why the apostates hate it, ignore it, and belittle it.
Worldly wisdom has so many definitions of sin that a list with comprise many volumes. Churches vary in their definitions, sometimes agreeing with worldly wisdom, sometimes adding their own Pharisaical definitions - such as the sin of disagreeing with the political convention of the denomination. Or - we have our own great teachers - so if you disagree, we will throw out after a severe and well-deserved beating.
Many think of carnal sin, something that anyone can see. But the Bible addresses sins against God and spiritual or mental sins - such as coveting.
No one can see those sins, but James addresses them as the start of sins that bear fruit in time, since the thought leads to the deed.
But Jesus established not believing in Him as the foundational sin. The term "world" is used all the time in John to distinguish unbelievers from believers.
Paraphrased - Through the faithful preaching of the Gospel Word, the Holy Spirit will convict the world about the foundational sin - they do not believe in Jesus as the only Savior.
What is most law preaching like? - the obvious sins of the flesh or the invented sins of society at that moment.
But the best law preaching is marked by the world's reaction to it - hatred, abuse, slander, shunning, silencing, and expulsion. Pagan religions have no qualms about imprisoning, torturing, and killing the messengers of faith in Jesus.
Rome tolerated every god but the One True God. They built a temple to all the gods - the Pantheon - and murdered Christians who taught faith in the true Son of God.
Before someone has faith in Jesus as the Savior, he is blind and filled with sin, no matter what outward pretensions he may show. And the world loves this figure. Look at his foundations - how much he has given! Look at him handing food the to poor in Haiti!
The same people will find all kinds of fault with Christians and mock them, for every fault or problem is magnified. Any misfortune a believer has is reason to mock all Christians.
All That Changes with Faith
Through the Word, the Spirit conveys Christ to us, kindles and nurtures our faith in Him. This is momentous, yet people take it for granted and neglect the very source of that faith in Him.
Faith in Christ, which is God's own work, grants us complete forgiveness through God's grace. Therefore, the great treasure of the Gospel, the Atonement, is no longer just an event, but Jesus dying for my sins.
Therefore, the righteousness of Christ comes to each believer, who enjoys the righteousness of faith in Him. That changes the individual's view of works. If we do works to earn the admiration of mankind and the favor of God, they become an increasing burden. The Gospel moves us to enjoy serving others. The Gospel creates many Gospel fruits that unbelievers cannot see.
X-ray and Healing
I offered this analogy to my Old Testament class. One person was so struck by it that he shared it with his church, and they said they never thought of it this way before. I just updated what Luther said.
The Law is like an x-ray. It tells us what is wrong with us but the x-ray machine cannot heal that problem. They used to think x-rays were magical, so they harmed many people by using them as medicine.
The Law salesmen can be detected by good preaching about the Law, but using more Law to cure the sin.
The Gospel heals what the Law reveals. It is true medicine prescribed by the Great Physician. The not-so-secret is that He taught this all the time and there is nothing more clear in the Gospels and Epistles. Yet the spirit of this age dictates that we must get rid of faith in Jesus and replace it with some snake oil they have concocted - everyone is already forgiven. Everything is good. You have to believe that - have to - have to agree that you were born forgiven or we will give you the boot. What a message for Pharisees. It inevitably turns back into righteousness through works of the law (their law).
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more
I put these verses in the category of "enigmatic, mysterious, until we see the plain words for what they are." I puzzled over them many times to get the mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and other toxic metals out of the Gospel message. Mercury, so much like gold and silver, easily attaches to precious metal and does not let go.
How is righteousness going to the Father. The Holy Spirit will preach the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, which means the righteousness of faith for each one of us.
How did a regional following become the world religion? The Spirit convicted the world of Jesus' victory in His rising from the dead and ascent to the Father. (Once again, often that is often displaced by ignoring the ascension or associating it with the "Assumption" of Mary. Funny how the liberal Lutherans run to Mary or find truth in Mary rather than Jesus' own teaching.)
So we have to parts of the Gospel - first what Jesus did and taught. Second - how this is taught to the entire world. It was not only established in His public ministry but also quickly established here and there in the entire Roman Empire, becoming "official" in only three centuries. We can't even get one or two amendments right in two centuries.
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
The third part of this pivotal message is that Satan has lost and the Savior has won the great battle. No matter how much the devil may rage, undermine, and corrupt, the ultimate power belongs to God alone. One would think that church leaders would rather be on the side of Jesus, but that is how unbelief works.
Unbelief, especially apostasy, blinds and hardens. If you doubt that, look at how Paul explains it in 2 Thess 2:3ff
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away [apostasy] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
The more people teach unbelief and resist the Word, they more they become blinded and hardened, rejoicing in their evil works.
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
This is fulfilled in the writing of the Gospels, the preaching of the Apostles, and the recording of the Epistles. This is an explanation of why we can trust the Scriptures and go to them as the ultimate judge of all matters.
This also emphasizes the Holy Trinity, which is a little more detailed in the next verses.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
People want to dull the brightness of this passage - the Holy Trinity is the teaching of Jesus. Who dissented from that? - Knapp, one of the primary authors of Justification without Faith - among Lutherans and Calvinists too. Isn't that a clue? If someone disparages the Trinity, do we trust him about anything else.
When people wish they could be with Jesus - they are whenever they hear, read, or remember the Word of God.
But I skip the Old Testament. The Old Testament has Jesus wrapped up entirely in its contents, so clearly revealed in some places, often indicated and hinted at in others - places later explained by the New Testament.
So anyone who wants to know the will of God and His attitude toward that individual - all He has to do is go over the Word of Jesus. He is the Father's voice and will and works. What did He say to the woman at the well, Zachaeus, the Pharisees, Mary and Martha, and His disciples? -
Believe in Me, for I am in the Father and the Father in Me, just as I am in you and you are in Me.
