Post by foxjj on Jun 21, 2023 16:19:05 GMT
The Best Loved Verse - John 3:16.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” In order to understand why this verse is so popular and loved, it is important to discern what is meant by the opening statement declaring God's love for humanity: "For God so loved the world." To most people, God is somewhere up there, or as some say, the man upstairs, in other words He is out of site. To them this makes God - if indeed they believe there is a God - distant, of no consequence in their life. Sadly, this is the spiritual situation of most people today.
Notwithstanding, and despite humanity’s cold heart towards God, He has declared love for humanity by sending His Son into our sinful world, in order to bring redemption. Therefore, when the realization that God actually loves me personally as an individual becomes a reality to you and I, it is a life changer. So what makes the difference in the thinking of believers? It is both the belief in - and acceptance - of Jesus as The Son of God and The One and Only Savior. To believe in Jesus is to put complete trust in Him alone for my salvation. It is critical that you and I understand that salvation is a gift from Our Heavenly Father who sent His Son because, no matter how good, or religious a person may be - they cannot earn - or attain salvation through their own merits, not even by faithfully following rituals.
The portion of John 3:16 which states: “He gave his one and only Son," shows how deep God's love is for the people of this world because, it is talking about sacrificial love. The Father sacrificed His Son on behalf of a rebellious and sinful humanity. This is a love that has cost our Heavenly Father the supreme sacrifice, one that you and I are incapable of fulfilling. It is only by Grace that a person can understand the impact of these words recorded by John. When we accept this truth we have hope, not just for the future, but also for the here and now. When I came to the place in my life where I knew the extent that God loves me, it truly made Him a personal and loving Father.
The final portion of John 3:16 referrers to those who believe in Jesus Christ as receiving eternal life when stating: "have eternal life." This prompts the important question; what is meant by eternal life? Scripture teaches there are two forms of existence after this present life. One is called the second death, which is eternal separation from God, commonly known as hell. The other is eternal life. This is life without end in the eternal place that we know as Heaven. To all who have repented and put their faith in Jesus, the life that we now live is only temporary, the real life is yet to be experienced. When a believer passes on, it is a transition from this temporary life, into their eternal reward.
One may ask what is that reward? To be in the presence of our Heavenly Father and our Redeemer The Lord Jesus Christ, for time without end. Believing in Jesus as my Savior makes John 3:16 the best loved verse in The Bible because it proclaims the love of both Jesus, and our Heavenly Father which I have experienced personally. Paul wrote in Romans 10:9-11: “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
Today, let us continue to praise The Lord for His Love.
John Joseph Fox.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” In order to understand why this verse is so popular and loved, it is important to discern what is meant by the opening statement declaring God's love for humanity: "For God so loved the world." To most people, God is somewhere up there, or as some say, the man upstairs, in other words He is out of site. To them this makes God - if indeed they believe there is a God - distant, of no consequence in their life. Sadly, this is the spiritual situation of most people today.
Notwithstanding, and despite humanity’s cold heart towards God, He has declared love for humanity by sending His Son into our sinful world, in order to bring redemption. Therefore, when the realization that God actually loves me personally as an individual becomes a reality to you and I, it is a life changer. So what makes the difference in the thinking of believers? It is both the belief in - and acceptance - of Jesus as The Son of God and The One and Only Savior. To believe in Jesus is to put complete trust in Him alone for my salvation. It is critical that you and I understand that salvation is a gift from Our Heavenly Father who sent His Son because, no matter how good, or religious a person may be - they cannot earn - or attain salvation through their own merits, not even by faithfully following rituals.
The portion of John 3:16 which states: “He gave his one and only Son," shows how deep God's love is for the people of this world because, it is talking about sacrificial love. The Father sacrificed His Son on behalf of a rebellious and sinful humanity. This is a love that has cost our Heavenly Father the supreme sacrifice, one that you and I are incapable of fulfilling. It is only by Grace that a person can understand the impact of these words recorded by John. When we accept this truth we have hope, not just for the future, but also for the here and now. When I came to the place in my life where I knew the extent that God loves me, it truly made Him a personal and loving Father.
The final portion of John 3:16 referrers to those who believe in Jesus Christ as receiving eternal life when stating: "have eternal life." This prompts the important question; what is meant by eternal life? Scripture teaches there are two forms of existence after this present life. One is called the second death, which is eternal separation from God, commonly known as hell. The other is eternal life. This is life without end in the eternal place that we know as Heaven. To all who have repented and put their faith in Jesus, the life that we now live is only temporary, the real life is yet to be experienced. When a believer passes on, it is a transition from this temporary life, into their eternal reward.
One may ask what is that reward? To be in the presence of our Heavenly Father and our Redeemer The Lord Jesus Christ, for time without end. Believing in Jesus as my Savior makes John 3:16 the best loved verse in The Bible because it proclaims the love of both Jesus, and our Heavenly Father which I have experienced personally. Paul wrote in Romans 10:9-11: “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
Today, let us continue to praise The Lord for His Love.
John Joseph Fox.
