The Life and Ministry of Jesus
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
Is there a verse anywhere in the Bible more well-known and loved than this one? How poignantly it states that eternal life comes not because of anything we do. Salvation comes as a free gift when we believe what God has said. For almost two thousand years people have been adding to the gospel, but the truth still rings clear today—whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Nicodemus had superb religious training but very little spiritual insight. He could not grasp Jesus’ statement that a person must be born from above to experience eternal life. Four times in three verses (vv. 16–18) Jesus uses variations of the word believe, perhaps the most important key word in John’s Gospel. The Son of God classified the entire human race into two groups—those who believe and are not condemned, and those who do not believe and are condemned already. 1
Personal Encouragement
Who did God love?
Who did God send?
What did it cost God?
What did it cost us? What motivated God to do this?
What is our only acceptable response?
What happens to those who believe?
What happens to those who reject the gift of God?
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Because God loved, God gave.
A Prayer
Lord, thank You for rescuing me, so I can spend all eternity in the fulness of Your love.
1. Gangel, K. O. (2000). John (Vol. 4). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
