A Prayer for When You’ve Forgotten John 3:17
By Peyton Garland
Bible Reading:
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 (NIV)
Listen or Read Below:
I’ve known John 3:16 as long as I can remember. An overachieving Awana girl never forgets to remember the verse that’s essential to her faith. Decades later, though, I’ve discovered that while John 3:16 saved my heart, John 3:17 saved my mind as I recovered from religious trauma and, eventually, it restored my perception of today’s church.
My church background is hellfire and brimstone, lots of theological concepts wrongly twisted into dangerous scare tactics. This made Christ not my friend or protector, but a mere get-out-of-hell-free card. Was this truly a lovable, let alone likable, God? I wasn’t sure. I wanted to do just what I had to for the sake of dodging eternal condemnation. After that, I would keep Him as far away as possible. The closer I got to Him, the easier He could punish me, right?
Eventually, I discovered that when you keep God at an arm’s distance because you’re anxious about the pieces of His character you’ve never decided to pursue, the only god you’ve surrendered yourself to is Fear. Fear becomes your body’s control panel, your mind’s operator, your soul’s silencer, and your heart’s too-heavy burden.
Reflecting on my church background, I realize those unhealthy leaders behind the pulpit and Sunday school podiums made the gospel about me, how I am a sinner, how I am not enough, how I am nothing apart from God. And while those things are theologically true, with Scripture to match, the gospel isn’t about me. You can dangle theological facts in front of sinners all day long, but if you gloss over the foundation of Christianity—that repentance is birthed by a loving Savior’s desperate desire to forgive you and know you—what legs can hollow facts stand on? What hearts can truth change if cold facts washed out the kindness of the Author and Perfecter of our souls?
Friends, pride is sneaky enough to whisper the notion that the gospel is all about us, that Christianity’s principles hang from a pendulum we thump with our own frail fingers. But we are gravely mistaken. The gospel is about Him, the God who chose to dwell among our imperfections and suffer our pains, the Christ who was willfully mangled for our rescue and redemption. If we make the gospel about the God-Man it’s intended to be, our focus is less on self and our ignorant perceptions of God and more on Christ and who He is. It's no longer simply getting out of hell. It’s about falling in love with our Great Rescuer.
John 3:17 is a beautiful reminder of just who Christ is. He is brave, gentle, empathetic, daring, and all-powerful. He is all of these things in one, perfect in each lovely characteristic. Better yet, His trustworthiness means I am safe to surrender my fear because His empathy means my perfection will never be a requirement. The gospel isn’t about my ability to please God into saving me. It’s about God being pleased to welcome a scared sinner home, into the comfort of His mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
God doesn’t take pleasure in condemnation. In fact, he longs to free us from it. His goal is for us to never be bound by fear, lies, and a twisted, dark perception of who He is. Darkness is the enemy’s fatal territory, the very place God sent the Light of the World to save us from.
Live in the grace of John 3:16, but live in the peace of John 3:17, knowing that Jesus’ heart is a heart of hope, love, and safety. It’s a heart that longs to rescue, redeem, and protect you for all time. It’s a heart that banishes fear, offering sincere conviction and forgiveness instead. It’s a heart you can trust to lead you home.
Let’s Pray:
Father God, thank you for the incredible redemption story you wrote from the beginning. Thank you for including your Son, surrendering your precious, perfect Jesus, so we would know what it means to live in freedom from fear. Though it’s so easy to gloss over Scripture we’ve known for years, maybe decades, breathe new life into your ancient text, your wisdom, and your heart spilled on the page. May we never take for granted the gifts that are your Word and your Son. In your holy name, amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/arkira
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