John 3:14-21: Rescue from Our Own Testimoy

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. - John 3:14-21

I think that people are not condemned by God so much as condemned by the standard that they have professed. We all have some mental red lines that we use to determine if something is good or bad. Then because we are unreliable in and of ourselves, we find that we have crossed that red line.  We stand condemned already. God passes judgement using the evidence that we hand to him. 

Paul asks: "you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?" (Rom. 2:21-23)

Maybe we claim that we know of no law or commandment that we disobey and are therefore innocent. I think that the judgement seat of Christ will be a replay of our words, deeds and thoughts to the jury of the saints. "so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." It will be our own indisputable testimony in evidence against ourselves. But those who believe escape the condemnation because we agree with God that we need the rescue.

Ephesians 2:1-10: Discovered All the Good We Can Do

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2:1-10

Paul wants to draw out the clear difference between who we were and what we deserved, who we are and what we received and who we will be and what we can do.

We were "dead in our transgressions" and "deserving of wrath". Without the leadership of Christ in our lives, our default setting is to follow the ways of this world and its ruler who leads us into his path of disobedience.

We are "alive with Christ" and "seated with him in the heavenly realms" because of his great love for us. It isn't something we work for ourselves or something that we bribe God to get or something that we extort from him, it is a gift--freely given.

We will be doing "good works" and witnessing the full extent of his "handiwork", the "incomparable riches of his grace" because that's what God has "prepared in advance for us to do."  We certainly weren't created to lounge about on clouds in heaven. Where's the challenge in that? No, we were created to discover all the good that we can do now that we are redeemed

Psalm 107:1-3,17-22: Redeemed Consequences

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.

Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy. - Psalm 107:1-3,17-22

We don't always get the result that can be logically tied to our actions. Actions have consequences. The odds would often predict a different result. Sometimes we expect better. The well-intentioned effort by us doesn't work out and we are left empty handed. Sometimes we expect worse. The petty words spoken or the lazy try seems to work out well and we are left with unexpected blessing. But that's why we live life, leaving the outcome in the hands of God.

It is the surprise happy outcome that fills out the meaning of "redeemed". Based on our foolish actions, our future had been mortgaged by our rebellious ways and now the time has come for the consequences.  When we realize how we have been, sadness and hopelessness sets in "they loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.". But then someone steps in and pays the karmic debt and we are left suddenly free. 

How often I have benefited this rescue? Jesus kept from me the natural, logical result of my own stupidity and wrong-headedess. And I know it is stupid and I am so worried about how bad things are going to be because of it. Then Jesus steps in  and lifts the burden from me. I can breathe and am so grateful. This is what it means to be "redeemed"