The Antithesis of John 3:16

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. . .. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” (John 3:17, 19-20 NKJV)

Most citations from chapter 3 of John focus on verse 16; it is ubiquitous in American culture. Verse 17, however, continues the prior verse’s positive, redemptive thesis – that Jesus came to save, not condemn the world. In 18, Jesus explains the antithesis of verses 16 and 17; “‘He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’” (John 3:18 NKJV)

Jesus clarified to Nicodemus the nature of that condemnation in 19 and 20. From 19 comes the oft-cited bromide, “(M)en love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.” This is a quote I have at times used when someone objects to me turning on lights, because they want it dark. Even more often, I am annoyed when I trip over something in the dark. Jesus addressed that later, as well. “‘(I)f one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.’” (John 11:10 NKJV)

Darkness tends to hide intentions, making illicit actions easier to carry out. Notice that the condemnation spoken of is not the eternal darkness of separation from God. It is the earthly condition of those who reject Christ. As a type of this, Adam and Eve hid from God in shame, once they knew they had disobeyed Him and were naked. When light is shined into spiritual darkness, those with less-than-clear conscience seek to avoid it, like roaches scurrying for cover. Since light banishes darkness, the dark-lover seeks the cover of even partial shade in the midst of the glaring light.

Why do roaches and other critters flee the light? Their instincts tell them that light brings negative consequences, whether from predators, humans or others. For this same reason, those involved in dastardly deeds scurry to avoid detection, fearing the potential consequences of exposure. Someone wreaking wrongdoing upon others will rarely be brash enough to simply do what they do in the light of day; that often leads to them being caught and punished.

Considering the promise of everlasting life (the purpose for which Jesus came into the world), the behavior of those with clean conscience is clarified in the last verse from this section. “‘But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.’” John 3:21 NKJV). Those of us who have, “seen the light,” must continually choose to walk in it. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (I John 1:7 NKJV)

The thesis of John 3:16 is the beginning of our journey, not its end; walking in the light must be repeated day-by-day, minute-by-minute, and is a matter of choice. We have the help of the Holy Spirit but we still must choose.

Related Scriptures

“‘And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.’” (Matthew 1:21 NKJV)

“‘For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’ And they went to another village.” (Luke 9:56 NKJV)

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.” (I John 4:14 NKJV)

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. . . .

“That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” (John 1:4, 9-11 NKJV)

“‘Some snatch the fatherless from the breast,

And take a pledge from the poor.

They cause the poor to go naked, without clothing;

And they take away the sheaves from the hungry.

They press out oil within their walls,

And tread winepresses, yet suffer thirst.” (Job 24:9-11 NKJV)

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.” (Ephesians 5:11-13 NKJV)

Practical Example

As a taxi driver in the city of Dallas over several years in the 90s, I found this concept relating evil deeds to darkness generally held true. I worked at night for several reasons, primarily because competition for runs was too stiff during the day. That time choice, however, limited my territory. Large swaths of the Metroplex I counted as off-limits after dark, as a safety precaution. My calculation was made based on personal experience, trends and tendencies, and reputation, not always on hard and fast data, but it seemed a valid precaution.

One night I got desperate for business and decided to break my own rule. I had dropped off in one of my self-mandated no-go zones around 5:30 AM. A call came across the dispatch system nearby and I reasoned, “It’s past the time that all the bad guys should have already gone home.” I took the call and picked up three passengers at a pay phone next to a closed convenience/liquor store. The pick-up seemed a bit sketchy but I went ahead with it.

I was lucky. All that happened to me was that the passengers skipped on the fare. I usually collected up front, but this was a short run, so I didn’t. When they got out at the apartment complex destination, they acted as if they would pay, and then ran. I started yelling after them and then realized where I was and what time it was. The sun was just pinking the horizon and I was not in a neighborhood which would look kindly on me making a scene. I left, my self-imposed mandate reinforced.