“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.” John 3:16
One of the most famous verses in the world is: “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” (John 3:16).
But has anyone actually stopped to understand what this verse really means?
God sent His Son, Jesus into the world. He gave His Beloved Son,
Jesus, to pay the penalty for each individual person’s sin. The penalty for sin
is death. However, because God is a loving and gracious God, He made provision
for Jesus to pay for a person’s sin with His life. All one has to
do is believe upon Jesus, receiving this great gift. Can you better understand
this verse now? “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” (John 3:16). Read the next verse in that passage to
understand even more so as to why Jesus came: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that
the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17).
After reading both of those verses, understand that the gift
of the pardon for sin is offered – all one has to do is receive
it. God wanted each person in the world to be saved from the penalty of sin.
This pardon from sin is understood as a promise from God – but only for those
who accept that gift.
What if one chooses to continue in sin, rejecting the gift
God offered? “He that believeth on
the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see
life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). This, too, is a promise.
No one knows what tomorrow may hold. Life is fleeting and short. It is up to each individual to decide. Choose life (with Jesus), or receive the penalty for sin – the wrath of God abiding on him.
Have you chosen to receive the gift of salvation (life) by believing in Jesus?
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11
God called many prophets in the Old
Testament to go forth and declare His Word to people. They mostly went, no
matter what happened to them. We all remember one particular prophet who chose
to disobey God. He chose to go the opposite direction God wanted him to go. The
way he
wanted to go. Remember him? Jonah, forever known as the prophet who was
swallowed by a whale. Why did that happen to him? Because he chose to do what he
wanted, instead of obeying God. But only after he was in the belly of that
great fish for three days and three nights, praying, was he willing to go
deliver the Word of the Lord to the people of Nineveh. Even with his
begrudgingly behavior, thousands of people repented before God, and God spared
the people and the city.
Have you ever considered any of the
other prophets God sent forth? Remember Isaiah. God asked who He could send,
who would go tell the people. Isaiah said, “Here am I; send me.” God told him to
go and tell the people, but Isaiah was warned that the people would hear him,
but would not listen to him. They would not understand what he was telling
them. They would not take any of the counsel of God’s Word that he gave to
them. It might sound good for somebody else, but not them. They would not get
it. Isaiah had God’s Word, yet the people would not receive it. When Isaiah
asked God how long he would have to tell this people who wouldn’t really listen
to anything he said, God told him to continue to tell the people until there
was no one left to tell.
Do you think that would have been a
hard thing to do? Isaiah was given more prophecies concerning Jesus, the Messiah
that was to come, than any other prophet. He was instrumental in helping the
people understand that salvation is of the Lord – not of anything man can do. Isaiah’s
name even signifies this, for his name means “Salvation is of the Lord.” Nevertheless,
tradition declares that King Manasseh had him sawn in two.
Many other people declared the
truths of God’s Word. One cannot help but think of Peter as he told of Jesus,
and many thousands of people give their hearts and lives to Jesus. Paul gave
his life telling people about Jesus, and establishing churches to teach the
apostles doctrine. He also spent much time in prison. Stephen preached the
Gospel message of Jesus, and he was stoned to death. However, these men were
faithful to the end.
Today should be no different. Each
Christian is called to go and tell the Gospel message of Jesus. To tell the
difference that God’s Word has made in that Christian’s life. No one may hear.
No one may understand. They might believe that it is good for someone else, not
for them. They might not receive it. Nevertheless, we are called to go and tell
– even when people don’t want to hear about Jesus. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”
(Romans 10:17). People must hear before they can believe.
“How then shall they call on him in whom
they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not
heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). The word preacher here means “to herald (as a public crier), especially
divine truth (the Gospel); preach, proclaim, publish.” This means anyone can
declare or “cry out” the Gospel message. “So
shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in
the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). We are just required to
declare God’s Word to people. God will take care of the rest.
However, no one will know the Gospel
message of Jesus if we do not tell it.
Have you told anyone about what Jesus has done for you?
The only good work one can do in and of themselves is explained simply by Jesus, Himself, when He was asked by the people. “28. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29. Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28-29). So the only good work anyone can do is to believe on Jesus. And when someone believes on Jesus, their life is forever changed. A new life in Christ begins. One begins to learn what the Bible teaches and applies those things to their life. Titus chapters two and three are a great place to read to understand some of the ways a Christian is to live. And as we choose to life a life pleasing to Jesus, we are to watch for His coming. “11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11-14). Notice that not only did Jesus come to redeem us, but we are to be zealous of good works. Remember what the only good work is that we can do? Believe upon Jesus, God’s Son. Any other good we do is because we have done that – for it is an outflow of appropriating our faith in Jesus into every aspect of our lives.
God sent Jesus into the world to
“seek and to save that which is lost” (see Luke 19:10). Who is lost? Anyone who
does not believe that Jesus is God come in the flesh to pay the penalty for
man’s sin with His death on the cross. Why is this so hard for people to
believe? “3. But if our gospel be hid,
it is hid to them that are lost: 4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded
the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Corinthians
4:3-4).
The grace of God that brings
salvation is available to anyone.
The invitation is simple. But it
must be received.
Each Christian needs to know, and even memorize, these scriptures in order to tell someone else how to be saved. Tell someone today!
Lostness: Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Penalty: Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Price: Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Response: Romans 10:9-10: “9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Security: Romans 8:38-39: “38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
New Life: Romans 12:1-2: “1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
