Have you ever noticed how some verses get a bad rap? Hear me out please. By bad rap I don’t mean kicked-to-the-curb-bad. Instead, I’m referring to the fact that some verses are so close to another that stands out, that one verse is almost glossed over, even forgotten.
For example, Romans 8:29. Ask people to quote verse 28 and they’re on it! Ask them to quote verse 29 and they most likely will stutter and stammer. Look closely though. Verse 29 gives good traction and clarity to verse 28. All that happens is designed to conform us to the image of God’s Son.
Another one is in John 3. Tell me what John 3:16 says. That one is easy to spout off. Some will know verse 17 if pressed. Okay, how about verse 15? We scramble for our Bibles to look it up. Let me save you some time. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” BAM!
Powerful verse! It finds its root in Numbers 21:5-9 where the Israelite people found life by looking at the serpent lifted up by Moses. Life is found in the “lifted up” Christ. That is a definite picture of Jesus being lifted up on a cross. There we find life. And it certainly isn’t a verse we can forget or leave out!!
Look up and live!
Context is key… Understanding the importance within the framework of what is being said is sometimes more important than what is being said.
In regards to Life… You are correct, Life is found in the risen Christ
Context is key Ryan, which is often left out when “pet” verses are latched onto. I’ll stake my life on the risen Christ.
Amen, Bill! Look up and live . . .
Blessings!
There are so many verses that don’t work unless you read the whole passage (and cross referencing also helps. Isn’t that just like us though? We can’t work alone!