Many people who have only memorized one Bible verse can quote John 3:16. This is because it is, perhaps, one on the clearest and concise statements of the Gospel message. The verses clearly communicate that God loved us enough to send His son to pay the price that we could not pay. That Jesus died for our sins and if we only believe on Him we will have eternal life. There is a lot of doctrine packed into that single sentence, and we celebrate this message of the Gospel.
This episode will help you to memorize this Biblical All-Time-Hit verse along with the often overlooked, but equally important, following verse.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn the world. This statement seems to not flow as much as the positive and inspiring first verse. Why would the assumption be that God sent Jesus to condemn the world? Well it’s simple. When we see our sin for what it is and we recognize that God is holy, and all powerful – when we see our sin is against Him – then the response is always fear. Look back at the Old Testament. Every time an angel shows up, the people who see it are afraid. WE fear because we know that our sin will be judged and we don’t have a hope in ourselves. The Gospel is that God sent Jesus not to condemn us, but to save us. Praise God for His grace and mercy that reaches down and saves a sinner like me.
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