Pastor Ash Dotson
John 1:29-34: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
My journey as a Christian has led me to a deeper understanding of the phrase, “takes away the sin of the world,” as found in scripture. In Greek, “the world” is translated from κόσμου (kosmou), the root of our word cosmic. In this context, it refers to all inhabitants of the world and the entire universe. This could mean, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of everyone in the world,” or even, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the collective sin of the cosmos.” I prefer the latter.
As Christians we affirm the Holy Trinity, but I believe someone can know and follow the teachings of Jesus without explicitly knowing his name. Trinitarians hold that Jesus is God and came to reveal God to us in human form, what I refer to as “God with skin on.” Jesus tore open the curtain in the Holy of Holies, granting us direct access to God. Whether taken literally or metaphorically, Jesus’ life and teachings show us how to open the curtain to our true selves, where God resides within us.
With this understanding, we can recognize that someone seeking God even without knowing Jesus by name could still encounter God. Can’t God’s teachings also be shared through other prophets, ancient and modern? Even John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, acknowledged in his letter, “A Letter to a Person Lately Joined with the People Called Quakers,” that those who had not heard of Jesus could still be saved through God’s prevenient grace, God’s divine guidance and love.
I believe anyone genuinely seeking God, whether through Jesus’ teachings or another path, can experience the same saving grace. Jesus came to reveal God’s love and actions to us. If someone acts and loves as God does, or strives to, isn’t that enough for God?
In the Gospels, I see Jesus calling us to love God and our neighbors above all else, the greatest commandments. Wouldn’t Jesus rather we focus on these principles than judge one another for how we worship or serve God? Even those outside Christianity who are living in love and compassion are contributing to God’s kingdom.
Consider the prayer we often recite: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Could such a kingdom not come more fully if we embodied an attitude of love for all? By embracing love and unity over judgment, we reflect God’s will more fully and invite others into God’s grace. May love guide our thoughts and actions.