John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
As I stated last post, the words by Jesus Christ in John 3:16 (possibly the most beloved verse in the Bible because of its Gospel message which brings love, joy and peace with blessed assurance) is framed with fundamental truths to clearly understand the life situation making this “Gift of God” (with its immediate and eternal benefits) and the receiving by belief and faith of it vitally necessary; the necessity and nature of regeneration or the new birth. The passages before between the Pharisee Nicodemus and Jesus enlighten our understanding that because of sin and their consequences, genuine repentance and a transformational conversion second birth of water and the Spirit are necessary for salvation. John 3:16 tells us what God did, His motivation and why. Then, the verses immediately after explain Jesus’ objective, the consequences of belief and unbelief in God’s Plan of Salvation, and the reason people choose not to believe.
John 3:17-21 “He who believes in Him (Jesus Christ – the Savior of the World) is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
Jesus was sent to save people from their sin by His substitutionary sacrifice in their place on the Cross for the payment – the wages of sin is death (Rom.6:23). God incarnate did not come to condemn because everyone is already condemned – dead in their trespasses and sins (Eph.2:1); He came to save, resurrection of the dead unto a new creation, reconciled to God with a regenerated spirit and given spiritual discernment; and belief in His name (the Son of God and Savior of the World) is the only gate, path and way to redemption, forgiveness, salvation and admittance into the kingdom of Heaven.
Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.” Ignorance is corrected by knowledge of the true Way, the true Truth, and the true Life. God provided the light of salvation in Christ to all, but not all people choose to receive Christ’s offer of His atoning redemption as most of mankind loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were morally evil.
Morals are the practice of the duties of a virtuous and pious life before the face of God.
In conduct and behavior. Moral evil is any deviation of a moral agent from the rules of conduct prescribed to him by God, or it is any violation of the plain principles of justice and rectitude. Those that love darkness (the absence of God’s light} make the choice to do so. God’s wrath is the righteous punishment for willful sin, unbelief, hatred and rejection of the Creator and His offer of salvation through the finished work of the Light of the World. Romans 1:18-19 confirms, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of mankind, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.”
But he who does the truth comes to the light (believe in God, recognize their sin against a just and holy supreme Creator, repents of sin, believes that God sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice to die in their place on the Cross for the full payment of their sin, by faith accept the free gift of redemption and forgiveness given by the grace of God in Jesus, believe that they are saved in His name alone and the wrath of God was placed upon Christ and Christ’s righteous was placed upon them by His expiating blood. In consecration, the converted Believer’s soul rejoices in gratitude of redemption and salvation, following their Savior and Lord, leaping into the light that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God, be they trust God completely and know the truth of the final verses of the chapter in John 3:35-36, “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Knowing the full context of John 3:16 in the verses just before and after, gives us the full message of salvation for our complete understand and saving faith walk in life. On my knees in praise, honor and grateful appreciation, I bow my head and worship my Savior and Lord.
In Christ, Brian
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