Not Rejected but Choosing Rejection

Scripture: When push came to shove they cared more for human approval than for God’s glory ... "If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn’t take it seriously, I don’t reject him. I didn’t come to reject the world; I came to save the world. But you need to know that whoever puts me off, refusing to take in what I’m saying, is willfully choosing rejection. The Word, the Word-made-flesh that I have spoken and that I am, that Word and no other is the last word." John 12:43,47-48

Observation: As one of Jesus' final public statements, he declares the facts of what it means to align one's self with human opinions instead of the God's truth. Jesus does not immediately reject them, for he continues to try to reach them, and by their faith they can still be redeemed. However, when someone rejects the truth offered by Jesus - the truth about the Lord himself - they are choosing rejection, and there will come a day of judgment when, if they do not alter their choice, they will be rejected. And yes, one of the primary reasons people choose rejection is because they instead choose "human approval", and thus the ways of the world and its popular opinions.

Application: Verse 42 of this section explicitly calls out religious leaders who fall into this trap. The other day I went past the very prominent church right in the center of our town. It is a church that has openly, publicly, and aggressively announced their alignment to earthly opinions about sexuality that are contradictory to the word of the Lord.

That church has embraced one part of this scripture ... they do not reject those who have rejected the word of the Lord. However, they have themselves fallen into the trap ... they themselves have rejected the word of the Lord, because they care more for human approval.

These issues are so very, very difficult. I do not condemn that church, nor do I reject and condemn anyone who has personal beliefs and opinions that align to that church, to human opinions, or to current cultural norms. I am a disciple of Jesus, and Jesus does not reject them, but rather continues to call me and all believers to announce the gospel message to everyone, without rejection. Our mission is to "save the world" ... "but you need to know," Jesus says, that by rejecting God's truth, you are choosing future rejection.

I do not know how that 'works' for believers who speak and behave contrary to the Lord's teaching. I know there are things I get and do and say wrong too. All I can do is retain in my heart this fact, which is that I care far mor about the Lord's word and his glory than I care about any human approval. That means I care about humans, and both wish and work for their salvation, rejecting none, but in the end I desire to do so within the context of the Lord's truth.

Prayer: Lord, the world is dark and therefore so very, very hard to live in. I know I fail every day to perfectly keep your perfect word. Please forgive me. And please provide your light to us all so that we can find our way through these times, leaning into your glory, and all of us caring less and less about human approval. Amen.