Pastor Jann Braaksma
Can anyone recite John 3:16 for us? Sure you can. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
As well known as it is, let’s take a moment and look at this verse a little closer. This verse reveals the heart and purpose of God.
First, “so loved” does not mean “loved so much” but “loved in this way”; that is, God’s love is giving and purposeful—to rescue and give life.
Then the verse would start; “For God – loved in this way”
Second, God’s love is wide enough to embrace all persons, i.e., “the world”. Thankfully it doesn’t say a race of people, an economic status, gender or education level. The holy word of God says, “The world”.
1 Timothy 2:3-6 says – This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.
Just for fun – do you know what 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says? I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
This is what is good and pleases God our Savior. So God desires all humans to be saved, the entire world.
So now we read; “For God – loved in this way – all humans.”
Third, God ‘gave’ His Son as an offering for sin on the cross. The atonement proceeds from the loving heart of God. It was not something forced on Him.
Let’s hear 1 John 4:9-10 on this matter. This is how God showed His love among us; He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loves us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sin.
From the Wesleyan Core Term – The meaning of the word atonement, going back to the time of William Tyndale, is literally “at-one-ment,” or reconciliation. As such, it represents overcoming the alienation that exists between two parties, God and humanity, due to the serious effects of sin.
The work of the mediator, Jesus Christ, who is truly God and truly human, is therefore necessary to bring about this reconciliation. As God in the flesh, Christ reveals the humble sacrificial love of God at Calvary, a love that can melt away the stubborn resistance of the sinner.
As truly human, Christ satisfies the justice of God precisely by standing in the place of sinful humanity, with the result that all humanity can be free from the guilt of sin due to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
It’s almost too much to get my brain around. Jesus came willingly to die for my sins. Not only so I could live in eternity, not only so I could exist now, but so I could live fully and well now and have eternal life also.
And Jesus did it willingly and lovingly, not under duress or orders.
So now the verse reads; For God – loved in this way – all humans – and Jesus came willingly and lovingly.
My fourth point is that “to believe” includes three main elements:
a) a sure conviction that Jesus Christ is God’s Son and the only Savior for lost humanity;
b) a self-surrendering fellowship with and obedience to Christ;
c) a fully assured trust in Christ that He is both able and willing to bring you to final salvation and to fellowship with God in heaven.
Obeying the commands of Christ is not optional for those who would have eternal life. Obedience to Christ, though never perfect, must nevertheless be genuine. It is an essential aspect of saving faith, springing from our love for Christ. Without love for Christ, trying to obey His commands becomes legalism.
To the person who loves Christ and strives to obey His commands consistently, Christ promises a special love, grace and His deepest inward presence.
Now the verse reads; For God – loved in this way – all humans – and Jesus came willingly and lovingly – that every one who believes in Him will have His deepest inward presence.
Fifth, “Perish” is often the forgotten word of verse 16, it points not to physical death but to the dreadful reality of eternal punishment. The Bible teaches that judgment on evildoers is certain. The main idea is condemnation, suffering and separation from God with no time limit.
We as Christians may find this doctrine unpleasant or hard to understand. Yet we must submit to the authority of God’s word and trust God’s decision and justice.
Now the verse reads; For God – loved in this way – all humans – and Jesus came willingly and lovingly – that every one who believes in Him will have His deepest inward presence – and not condemnation, suffering or separation from God with out limit.
Lastly, “Eternal life” is the gift God bestows on us when we are born again. Eternal life is more than endless existence. It is a special quality of life that we as believers receive when we partake of the essential life of God through Christ; this allows us to know God in an ever-growing knowledge and fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The present possession of eternal life requires a living faith. Eternal life is not secured and maintained merely by an act of repentance and faith occurring in the past. It involves also a present living union and fellowship with Christ; there is no eternal life apart from Him.
The New Testament also describes eternal life as a future hope and is associated with the coming of Christ for His faithful, and is contingent on living by the Spirit.
Now the verse reads; For God – loved in this way – all humans – and Jesus came willingly and lovingly – that every one who believes in Him will have His deepest inward presence – and not condemnation, suffering or separation from God with out limit – but has right now eternal life and a living faith.
Don’t misunderstand; I’m not trying to change what the Bible says, God forbid. But sometimes we recite a verse and don’t think what the words are really saying.
As if that’s not enough to take in this morning, I’d like us to look at John 3:17 also. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
Like the jelly on your peanut butter sandwich, we need to realize that Jesus does not condemn, He saves.
Romans 8:1 says it best – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
God’s objective is salvation, not condemnation, but people cause their own condemnation by remaining in the darkness of evil, apart from Jesus the light.
Are you in Christ Jesus today? Are you living IN Him, abiding in Him, following Him, striving to be like Him?
Like a tree planted by water, do your roots go deep? Mine aren’t deep enough, I know. Are yours?
So how do we go deeper? First, Jesus has to be your Lord and Savior. You have to lay your will and your wants down before Jesus and say, “take them away please, and replace them with your will and your wants.”
Please forgive me for my sins, they are many. Then receive the forgiveness Jesus came to earth to give. Receive free, like a cold drink of water on a hot day. Drink it in, enjoy it and be renewed by it.
Then we need to ask for the filling of the Holy Spirit. It is only through the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit that we can abide in and follow Jesus’ teaching.
Let us pray.
Resources: The Full Life Study Bible and The Wesley Study Bible.