John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Even though this particular verse is probably one of the most well-known throughout the world, it is also one of the most misunderstood. In the context of John 3, Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler among the Jews, came to Christ by night. Many people make a big deal about him coming at night, implying he was cowardly. However, if you have ever lived in a Middle Eastern culture, nighttime is simply the time for visits, not daytime. In addition, his coming was according to the direction of the LORD Jesus Himself. He was being drawn by the LORD Jesus, and he came inquiring because the LORD was drawing him. While it is clear he came in ignorance, we do not find the Lord belittling him for his questions. Even so, those of us that the LORD has drawn to Himself. There are things we may not understand about Him, but we come, and we come with a desire to learn from Him.
The Reason for Christ's Death
"For God so loved the world." If you entered a conversation where someone started a sentence with "For," you might be wondering, "What did I miss?" This indicates they are concluding a point. So, don't begin with John 3:16. Go back and start with John 3:14. In verse 14, you have the Remedy: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up." Here, you have the basis upon which God can be both just and justify sinners. Just as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Salvation lies in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In verse 16, you have the reason for Christ coming and dying. The little word "so" in this verse is the same word used in verse 14. In verse 14, the phrase reads, "As Moses..." or, in other words, "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so." The word "so" means "in this manner." In this manner, "God loved the world." It’s not a general love for everyone in the world, as some interpretations suggest. This interpretation contradicts the rest of Scripture, where it says, "Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated " (Romans 9:14). Interpreting John 3:16 as a blanket statement for everyone creates more confusion than it resolves.
You often hear people ask, "How could God love someone and then send them to hell?" This interpretation suggests that God loves someone up to a point and then suddenly decides to send them to hell, which doesn't reflect the nature of true love. Or, consider this: if God truly sent His Son to die for everyone, why would He not send a preacher to reach those people? Think about the millions of people who die every day without ever hearing the name of Christ. Are we to believe that God loves them? If He loved them, wouldn’t He ensure they hear about Christ?
No, God loved the world in this manner. The question is: how did He love the world? Well, it says He gave His only begotten Son. And then the text clarifies that it's not for everyone. It doesn’t say "anybody might believe," but rather, "those who do believe," meaning there is a people whom God will cause to believe, and those who believe will not perish but have everlasting life.
The Result of Christ's Death
In verse 15, you have the Result: "That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." This is the effect of Christ being lifted up. If Christ died for you, then, in time, you will have faith. God will grant it. He will cause you to see Christ, and you will believe on Him. You will renounce any righteousness of your own and submit to Him as the only way of righteousness. That’s the result. And you won’t perish—not because of your belief, but because He died for you. It is His death that enables you to believe. And, of course, the result is everlasting life, which comes from Christ Himself and His blood.
i. Consider how dear to God the Father the Lord Jesus Christ is. It says, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son." As the "only-begotten," what does that mean? The Son is the heir to all things (Hebrews 1:3)—how precious is that? He is the only Object of His Father’s love, and that love has existed from all eternity. He is the express image of His Father's person. Colossians 1:13 says, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son."
The focus is on the fact that God gave His only-begotten Son. He gave Him as a the Sacrifice. He gave Him to die, even to the death of the cross, to become a curse for His people. He endured the scorn and contempt of sinners and the most cruel sufferings ever borne by any human. No one has suffered as the Son of God suffered. And yet, it was God Himself Who ordained it. Christ understood that everything He came to do was for the honor of His Father. Just as the Son is the dearest to the Father, the Father is the dearest to the Son. His Father’s glory is paramount.
ii. Consider for whom He manifests such love. This is where many people trip up. They say, "Well, the Bible says 'the world,' so it means the world." But the word "world" is used in different ways in Scripture. Are we talking about the physical world? The word "world" can also refer to an age or a time period. In Scripture, the world is sometimes split between the Jews and the Gentiles. Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus, a Jew, and when Nicodemus heard the word "world," he likely understood it to mean the Gentiles. What Jesus was essentially saying is, "The very people you, as a Jew, look down on—that’s the kind of sinner I came to save." The Jews were caught up in their self-righteousness, but the Scripture says, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15). That’s who He came for—sinners from every tribe, nation, and tongue.
In Revelation 5:9, it says, "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." These are those whom God has set apart in electing grace even before Christ came. They are those for whom Christ died and whom the Spirit of God will call in time. God's not in the business of trying to get everyone saved. Imagine if He were. That would imply He’s a failure. No! He’s saving everyone He has purposed to save, for whom Christ died. Christ prayed in John 17:9, "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine." And in John 6:37, Christ said, "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." He will not cast them out because it is God Who is drawing them. It is God Who did the giving, and it was through the death of His Son.
iii. Don’t confuse the Remedy with the Result. Many people make this mistake today when they say, "It’s in my looking that I’m saved." No! It is the Savior who saves. They say, "It’s my faith that saves me." No! it’s the Object of faith that saves. God cannot accept a sinner in His presence unless the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ has purchased them and His righteousness has been imputed to their account. It’s not your righteousness—it’s the righteousness of Another put to your account that gives you perfect standing with God. That’s why He was lifted up (John 3:14).
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