WORDS OF LIFE
John 3:16 starts by telling us, 'For God so loved the world'. 1 John 4:8 tells us that, 'God is love', and love is something that God wants to show to each and everyone of us.
The word that the Apostle John uses here for 'love' in John 3:16 is the Greek word agapao (or agape), which means a "self-giving" or "selfless" love. It is stronger than the love of a husband and wife, or the love of a brother or sister. Agape love is a love which gives and keeps giving without limit. Agape love is a love which shows itself through its' action.
God's love for the world is without limits. He loves us more than we could ever imagine. He loves us so much that He gave us the most precious thing He has - His own Son, Jesus Christ.
The verse tells us that the object of God's love is the world. This is not the earth on which we live, but the people that inhabit the world that God made for them.
What this verse teaches us is that the God of the bible loves each and everyone of us with a love which is unbounded, immeasurable and unconditional.
Have you stopped and considered God's love for you today? If you do, it could change not only your life now, but your whole eternal future!
The Love of God
John 3:16 goes on to say 'that he gave his only begotten Son'. The phrase 'only begotten' indicates that as the Son of God, Jesus was the sole representative of person and character of the Father and as such is equal to God the Father.
The love of God for the world is so immense that God gave us the most precious and dearest thing to Him - His one and only Son - Jesus Christ.
The proof that God loves us is that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, from the splendour of heaven itself, to be born as a baby and laid in the manger in Bethlehem a little over 2000 years ago. This is God's love in action, just as those who love God are called to love in deed (1 John 3:18) or in other words, to show love through action.
The depth of God's love is shown in who He gave. God the Son, for an eternity past, had dwelt in perfect unity with God the Father and so the sacrifice that resulted is more costly than words can describe.
God's Son, Jesus, is the key to the message of the Gospel. Without Jesus Christ we have no hope, we have no assurance of eternal life and we are lost. Accepting that Jesus is the Son of God and therefore equal with God, is vital in taking the first step in God's plan of salvation.
What God has given to you is more than you could ever imagine! Will you accept the gift of Jesus Christ God offers you, or reject your only hope of eternal life?
The SON OF GOD
'That whosoever believeth in him should not perish'. Speaking of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, the verse in John 3:16 tells us that if we believe in God's Son we will not perish.
Whosoever? That one word ensures that we are all included in God's plan of salvation. We can all accept God's gift to us, there are no limits, no boundaries and no conditions.
Unlike the world around us today, God accepts us whoever we are, whatever we have done, whatever the colour of our skin and no matter how young or old we are.
In God's eyes we are all sinners in need for help - whosoever includes you!
So why will we perish? Romans 6:23 tells us that, 'the wages of sin is death' and Romans 3:23 tells us that, 'all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God'. God is the Righteous Judge and He is going to judge for who we are. The sin in our lives means that death is inevitable, but the word 'perish' here is more than just physical death - it also refers to spiritual death or eternal separation from God in a place God has created to punish those who reject Him - hell (Psalm 9:17).
It is often said that the only things guaranteed in this life are death and taxes. The Bible tells us that the only thing in life that is certain is death - because we have all sinnned, we have all failed in God's eyes because God demand's perfection.
Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 3:1-24) and we all descend from Adam and Eve, we inherit their sinful nature (Romans 5:12).
If we examine our lives, we can all see that we disobey God (sin) every day, whether in action, thought or word. 1 John 1:10 tells us that if we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar. Remember, we might be able to fool others around us, but we can never hide anything from the all-knowing, all-seeing God - He even knows our thoughts (1 Samuel 16:7)!
God, as well as being a loving God, is also a just God. This means that God must punish sin.
So how does the Bible reconcile God's character of love and justice? God loves the sinner, but hates the sin. This is why God sent His only begotten Son into the world - so that we will be saved - so that we won't perish as a result of our sin.
Judgment of God- Perish
When Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross at Calvary, it wasn't because He deserved death (even the Roman governor Pontius Pilate could say of Jesus 'I find no fault in this man' - Luke 23:4) it was because God the Father punished His Son in our place (1 John 4:10). Again, we see the full extent of God's love for us and we see His love demonstrated through the actions of God's Son, Jesus Christ.
It is not all bad news though, because John 3:16 tells us that if we believe in God, we will not perish. Acts 16:31 tells us to 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved'. Saved from what? Saved from eternal punishment and separation from God! Romans 5:8 tells us, 'God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us'.
Believing in Him is to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour? Do you have the assurance of knowing your sins are forgiven? Have you entered into a meaningful, fulfilling and eternal relationship with the God who loves you so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for you? If you haven't, isn't it time you did?
Believe in Him
John leaves the best until last here in John 3:16 as he writes, 'but have everlasting life'. So what is everlasting life?
Not only is everlasting life a life that will never end (because those that accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour will be raised to life when He returns - see 1 Thessalonians 4:16), everlasting life is also a fulfilled life - without limits of happiness and joy.
It has been said that everlasting life refers not only to quantity of life, but also to quality. John quotes Jesus in John 14:2-3, 'I go to prepare a place for you ... that where I am, there ye may be also'. God's dwelling place is heaven, and this is where God promises all who believe will dwell with Him.
Revelation 21:4 describes something or what it will be like to be in heaven, in the presence of God:
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain"
This is the gift of God, this is what He promises each and everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as their own personal Lord and Saviour.
This is what God created mankind for, to enjoy each other's company, to be able to dwell together enjoying the goodness, greatness and grace of God.
If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into your life, this is the hope that is before you. We look for the day when our Lord returns to take those who love Him to be with Himself, and in the words of 1 Thessalonians 4:17, 'and so shall we ever be with the Lord.'
Everlasting Life
John 3:16
