A Love Letter
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life…John 3:16.”
Each thought in this verse is a rich vein of gold waiting to be unearthed by "WHOEVER" is willing to dig. The hardened ground of our hearts is first broken up by the words, “FOR GOD.” JOHN 3:16 proves without question God is FOR US and not against us. The Apostle Paul knew this truth when he wrote: “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
Man has a “front end problem.” His alignment is all wrong. The Bible tells us that by nature we are children of wrath. When Adam sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, man’s relationship or alignment with God was broken beyond human repair. Paul refers to this breech in Romans 5:12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Thus, man’s sin caused spiritual death between man and God and this problem still exists today.
The Bible says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” And that “There is none righteous, no not one.” Therefore, if sin separates us from a Holy God and we all have sinned as the Scriptures say, “How can we possibly be saved?” Since we cannot save ourselves, what can we do? Humanity is in the same sinking boat. So, “Is there any hope of rescue?” The answer is an undeniable YES! THERE IS HOPE. THERE IS A SAVIOR. God provided His Son because He is FOR US and not against us. JOHN 3:16 proclaims without question that God is FOR US. He has proven it because He has been reconciled to us through His only Son, Jesus Christ. And now, He beckons us to be reconciled to Him through Christ. Second Corinthians 5:18 affirms this truth: “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation.” No longer do our sins need to be atoned for by the blood of bulls and goats as if living in Old Testament times or under Mosaic Law. The New Covenant says, “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” Praise the Lord, “GOD IS FOR US! The only issue to be resolved, “Is whether we are FOR GOD?
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life…John 3:16.”
A rich vein of gold is found in the words “…SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE.” This is the God-type of love or “agape” love. It is a sacrificial love and comes from God and God alone. Romans 5:8 expresses this love in action: “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” When we were in Adam, dead in our trespasses and sin, God demonstrated this sacrificial love toward us. We will never know the depths of the Savior’s love for us. We must simply look to another expression of this love: THE CROSS OF CHRIST. The love of John 3:16 not only provides a Savior but also grants us the privilege to live our lives though our Savior. The Bible says, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him (1 John 4:9). Thus, the Christian can join the Apostle Paul in proclaiming, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and give Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).”
“THE WORLD” is described by the Greek word, “kosmos.” It refers to humanity. This shows the universal application of the Gospel. God cares for all humanity not just the Jew! “Red and yellow, black and white, we are precious in His sight…” “If anyone shall call upon the name of the Lord, he shall be saved.” How the words of John the Baptist ring true: “Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world.” This is a message for all mankind without exception. It is for THE WORLD. “THAT HE GAVE” indicates God knew our helpless state and took the initiative. God knew man would fall and not be able to get back up. So our hopeless condition became God’s opportunity. He provided the way where there appeared no way. He offered a remedy and that is the CROSS. Christ became sin for us and took our curse so a Holy God could remain righteous and a guilty sinner could be redeemed. God sacrificially gave by providing the only bridge by which He might be reconciled to us. And, if we receive His Son, we are reconciled to Him. The Apostle Paul expresses this in his letter to young pastor Timothy: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life…John 3:16.”
What hope is found in the phrase “…HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM.” This means Jesus Christ is unique. There is no other like Him. He is not only fully divine but also fully human. The Apostle Peter said of Jesus, “Neither is there salvation in any other, there is no name given under heaven among men whereby ye must be saved (Acts 4:12).” And our Lord says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” If one seriously considers these truths, it makes Jesus more than a prophet, more than a teacher or a great national figure. He is the SON OF GOD and the SON OF MAN. He is the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD! Think about it. That is what Almighty God was willing to sacrifice for sinners like you and me – HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.
When you come to the words “…THAT WHOEVER” you are mining some of the richest ore known to man. God’s message is universal (“THE WORLD”) and salvation through His Son is available to everyone (“THAT WHOEVER”) who believes. It does not matter if you are rich or poor, healthy or sick, black or white, male or female. God says, “WHOEVER.” It does not matter if your life is in shambles or you possess great power and fame. God says, “WHOEVER.” You can be a convicted criminal on death row or a leader in the church but God says, “WHOEVER.”
Yet, the most valuable tool in mining these golden nuggets is found in the word “…BELIEVES.” The word “BELIEVES” dictates the action on our part. We must believe. The word means to “commit” or “to rely upon or depend upon.” It means putting your trust or faith in another. God’s gospel message is universal (“THE WORLD”) and available to all (“THAT WHOEVER”) but each individual must receive Christ personally. Christ comes into a life only by personal invitation. John 1:12 affirms this truth in its use of the word “receive”: “As many as RECEIVE HIM, to him he gives the power to be sons of God even to those that believe on His name.” One must be willing to invite Christ into their life and this willingness comes from believing. Jesus encourages us to come just as we are. He stands at the door of our heart and knocks but the handle is on the inside of the door. We must open it from within and invite Christ to come – that is believing in action.
Finally the object of our belief is found “…IN HIM.” Christianity is neither in a religious ceremony nor an elaborate list of “dos and don’ts.” Our belief must be “IN HIM.” He is a person. Christianity is not a religion – it is a personal relationship with the Lord! God desires a relationship with us above all else. Amazingly, the omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscience God, the creator of the universe, desires fellowship with you and me – that is Christianity. This was God’s plan from the beginning. He wants us to enjoy His peace and His purpose for our life and it is found in the person of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life…John 3:16.”
Golden ingots are found in the phrase “…SHOULD NOT PERISH” for they come from the mouth of a Holy God. The word in the Greek for “PERISH” does not mean death. Many, especially the lost, often see death as a way of escape. But the word “PERISH” means “a state of conscious suffering.” Without Christ, one cannot hope to die and find eternal bliss or as some believe no further existence. We are created in the image of God and as such we have a soul. In fact, our real self is our soul. This physical body we live in only houses our soul. It is a temporary dwelling place for the soul.
If Christ does not return in our lifetime, this physical body which the Bible refers to as a tent, will be taken down. But the real self, the soul, lives on. It never dies. It is eternal. That is why suicide is such a lie. It kills the body but not the soul. The soul remains – either in Christ or in Hell, the place of torment. That is what it means to perish. It is an eternal state of conscious suffering. It is separation from the only hope life had to offer you when you walked this earth. That is why the Scriptures say, “It is appointed unto man once to die and then the judgment.” The warning is clear: EITHER CHRIST BEARS OUR JUDGMENT OR WE DO. If you have not yet received Christ, today is the day of salvation. Make the words, “SHOULD NOT PERISH” true for you.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life…John 3:16.”
What a glorious possession is found in the two words, “…BUT HAVE” in John 3:16. The three letter word “BUT” may appear of little value on the surface but it is the hinge upon which a great future of riches rest for the Christian. This three-letter word holds the great door of salvation in its grip. Jesus says, “I am the door by me if any man enters in he shall be saved and come in and out and find pasture.” Sin does not send us to Hell. We are all sinners. “We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).” What sends us to Hell is our failure to receive Christ. God does not desire anyone to perish and He has done everything He can do to show He is FOR US. After all, He is now reconciled to us through Christ and invites us to come. The rest is up to us. God is FOR US but God will not violate our free will. Therefore, we determine our destiny based on what we do with Jesus Christ.
But the deed to the gold mine is best expressed in the word “…HAVE.” God is saying, you will “HAVE.” This affirms our assurance and security in Christ. God says not only will I save you – not only will I give you eternal life – but I will give you the assurance of your salvation and eternal life. If eternal security of the believer were based on our performance, we would all be in trouble. The Bible says, “There is none righteous, no not one.” But, praise the Lord, the eternal security of the believer is based on the righteous of God not the righteous of man and God imparts His righteousness to us at salvation (2 Corinthians 5:21). Thus, God’s righteous is at stake in keeping us secure. So, we can rest assured we have what God said. Isn’t that wonderful? The work has been done for us. When Jesus uttered the words, “It is finished”, from the Cross, He meant that our sins had been “Paid in Full.” There is nothing more to be done but believe in a finished work. Salvation is a free gift but like any gift it is not a gift for you unless you receive it.
Unlike any other religion, the work of Christianity has been done for us at Calvary. Like a child, we simply receive by faith what God the Father has already made possible for us through His Son. John the Apostle did not want any of Christ’s followers in his day or in future generations to doubt their salvation. Knowing the Christian was secure in Christ, John said, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the named of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” Likewise, Jesus assures us in John 10:28-29: “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life…John 3:16.”
The final two words in John 3:16 are “…ETERNAL LIFE.” This was God’s plan from eternity past. Through Christ we can be reconciled to the Father and enjoy for all eternity, time without end, the peace and life that comes from that most precious and cherished of relationships; the one for which we were created; the one our Father most wants us to experience and enjoy everyday. This is why Jesus said, “I am come that ye might have life and life more abundantly (John 10:10).” Eternal life is available now not when you die! Eternal life starts the moment you open the door of your heart to Jesus. God has made it possible for us to pass from death unto life eternal if we are willing to repent of our sins and turn to Him in whom our redemption rests (Ephesians 1:7). Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Isn’t that tremendous! Death has no sting; the grave has no victory over the believer. ETERNAL LIFE is God’s love letter written with the redeeming blood of His only begotten Son on the heart of those who believe. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
