Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus ends today with a profound monologue on Jesus’ mission and His importance to all persons (Jn 3:16-21).  The passage begins with the famous John 3:16 (“God so loved the world…”) emphasizing the importance of belief in Jesus considering what the Father sent the Son to do for our salvation.  Jesus says He does not come to condemn but to save those who believe.  Those who do not believe condemn themselves because they prefer evil to good, as the headline states.  As has been mentioned in these posts previously, belief is more than some intellectual assent that Jesus is who He says He is and that what He did was efficacious.  It means embracing the entire Christ: His teachings, His admonitions, and His mission.  If we take Him at His word, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (as found later in John [14:6]), then any “way” that is not His way takes us off the narrow path (cf. Mt 7:13-14), any “truth” that does not comport with the Truth is a lie (cf. Rom 1:25), and any “life” that does not place God first (cf .Ex 20:3) is really death.  In this day and age we see darkness often preferred to light in the evil done illegally and (more and more) legally.  We are not to be condemning of, but rather a light to, the world.  Do not hide that light but let it shine before all (Mt 5:14-16).