"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." John 3:16
Let's break this down piece by piece.
For God so loved the world: Whatever is about to come down the pike all stems from one simple fact. God loved. Who did God love? The world. God loved the world. You and me and chipmunks and lions and bluebirds and daffodils and mountains and streams.
But it wasn't just that God loved the world, God SO loved the world. This was not a passing fancy. It wasn't a high school romance. This was honest to goodness love that would do anything to bring the object of that love closer. I think we often forget that. We think that God loves me. Sometimes we think God loves you. In truth we even downplay that love because we attach it to the actions of the moment. No, no, no! God so loved the world, before redemption, before absolution, when we were still covered in our own muck and mire God so loved the world.
that He gave his only begotten Son: There was this God and there was this love and it required action. Not because of some all powerful sense of judgment and justice, but because of this all powerful love. God loved the world and because of that God sent a begotten Son.
Now, why is it important to distinguish that Jesus was a begotten Son? Many people would say that it was to explain the relationship between God and Jesus, that it was some large theological reason so that we would know that Jesus was 'very God from very God' [see The Nicene Creed]. I humbly disagree. I believe that Jesus was distinguished as being begotten because the rest of us are not. Jesus is in fact not the only son of God, he just happens to be the begotten Son of God. Each of us can also be sons and daughters of God.
that whoever believe in Him: Here is where things begin to get tricky. What does it mean to believe in Jesus? Is it merely a head knowledge that the man, Jesus, did in fact exist. Is it believing that he physically walked the earth, or is it believing that he physically walked the water? Does it have anything to do with that at all?
Belief in Jesus means more than head knowledge. Belief in Jesus also means more than merely having faith. If we are to truly believe in Jesus we must also believe in what Jesus did and taught and attempt to mold our lives after his. This is vastly different than saying Jesus is the Son of God. It is also vastly different than saying as simple prayer and expecting to get into heaven. Belief in Jesus is a faith followed by life change which brings us...
should not perish but have everlasting life: We've talked before about how following Jesus is not only about fire insurance. It is not just about getting a place in heaven. Neither is everlasting life. Everlasting life is not something that begins on the other side of your final breath, it is something that begins at the moment of belief in Jesus. At the moment we are given everlasting life, unfortunately many of us fail to live it.
Elsewhere Jesus promises that we can have life to the full [John 10:10], that is also everlasting life. It is a life lived, which sadly most of us do not have. It is a life filled with purpose and hope and strength and love. It is not devoid of struggle or pain, but it triumphs over the struggle and pain that does come.
+ What does John 3:16 mean to you?
+ While not dealing directly with what I've written, how does its popularization [use at sporting events for instance] make you feel? Is it the one verse that we should be consistently sharing with the world?
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