The Bible is the inspired Word of God. It is without error in all matters of salvation. We do well as the people of God to make studying the Bible a habit in our lives. Not only do we find the meaning of salvation in Scripture, but we also find how to live out our salvation.
While the whole Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit, there is one verse that sticks out the most. It is the most popular verse in the whole of Scripture. And I think it is with good reason because it seems to tie all of the Bible together in God’s work of salvation. Today we will look at this verse, along with the surrounding context to see why it is so important.
John 3:14-17(CEB):
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so must the Human One be lifted up so everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”
This is the word of God
For the people of God
Thanks be to God
These verses come on the tail end of a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a well-respected teacher among the Jews. He had come to Jesus under the cover of darkness with questions. Jesus instructs Nicodemus on what it means to be saved. To be saved, one had to be born again from above. Now Jesus concludes with the way to be born again.
In verses 14 and 15, Jesus references an Old Testament passage that Nicodemus would have known well. The Israelites had been journeying to the Promised Land, and along the way, they sinned against God. God punishes them by sending poisonous serpents that bite and kill the Israelites. When they cry out from the distress caused by their sin, God gives Moses specific instructions. Moses is told to craft a bronze serpent, place it on a pole, and lift it up so the Israelites could see it. If anyone was bitten by a snake, all they had to do was look and live.
Jesus shares that He, the Son of Man, must be lifted up like the bronze serpent. In His case, Jesus is being lifted up to deal with the issue of human sin. Everyone is bitten and plagued with sin, but anyone who looks at Jesus and believes will gain eternal life. This eternal life is not simply life after death, but the promise of God’s presence now with no expiration date. The life that sustains life.
Now this brings us to the most well-known verse in the Bible. Verse 16 begins with “God so loved.” This is not a philosophical argument for God’s love but a verse describing God’s love in action. God’s love is completely selfless, not toward the righteous, but toward all rebellious humanity.
The whole verse reads “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life.” Everyone means everyone. It does not matter a person’s nationality, race, or starting disposition toward God. Faith in Jesus saves anyone and everyone from the penalty of sin, which is death. In place of death, they are given eternal life beginning at the moment they believe.
Verse 17 gives a clear view of God’s purpose by sending Jesus. It reads, “God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” Jesus coming does bring sin and the world into judgment, but that was not God’s goal. If someone does not believe, then they choose Hell. However, God’s goal was that everyone would be saved. His holiness punished sin, but Jesus took on that punishment so no one else would have to endure it. Christ took our sins on Himself so we could choose salvation.
What is this saying to us? Hopefully, we can see why John 3:16 is the most well-known Bible verse. It clearly establishes God’s will for us to be saved. There can be no doubt that God is love and His love is both grace and truth, essential to His character.
But I do not know if we realize how deeply God’s love is demonstrated in these verses. We read this and see it as God the Almighty demonstrating His love, and Jesus the man willfully submitting to this plan. While that is true, I think we miss out when we separate the deity of Jesus from His person.
Our God is triune in nature. Meaning, there is only one God who reveals Himself to us through three distinct persons. All of them collectively are the one God, and individually they are fully God. In these verses, we see that God the Father has lovingly planned to send Jesus for our salvation. Jesus, God the Son, willfully takes on our sins. But while the Holy Spirit is not directly mentioned in these verses, being born again means to be born again from above. Faith in Jesus enables the Holy Spirit to regenerate us from children of the devil into children of God.
What this means for us is that our salvation is the result of the full effort of the fullness of God. The entire Trinity participates in bringing us to salvation. When it says God loves us, it is all of God that loves us. It is all of God that wills for us to be saved. It is all of God at work in the world and in your life trying to rescue everyone from the flames of Hell.
If all of God is at work for us to be saved, that tells you and me two things. First, if all of God is working toward the salvation of everyone, you and I as His followers should be as zealous for the same thing. Second, God really loves you. It is not because you are righteous and worthy of rescue, but because God loves you. He knows our sins, both inward and outward, but still thinks you are worth dying to redeem. What are you waiting for? Eternal life can begin now.
Do you believe in Jesus and that He died for your sins? That is all that is required to accept God’s gift. It is not received based on works, but grace through faith. Believers, can we let this be the issue that matters most to us? We were not saved through our church attendance, Bible reading, or man-made laws. God redeemed us. Can we become known for this message of God’s amazing grace?