This week we are striving to get a
better understanding of John 3:16. “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.
I am amazed at how many people I meet
that want to just quote or at least believe only the first half of the
verse. “For God so loved the world that
He gave his only begotten son.” Some
think that salvation is universal that a loving God that can never punish
anyone and that he will accept all into his heaven. What they miss is the idea of “whoever
believes”. They want to believe in their
idea of God and do not even listen to what he has to say.
The verse also says those who believe
will not perish, so the implication is that those who don’t look to Jesus
Christ will perish! For those who say
that they are relying on their works to get them to heaven they need to read
Rev. 20:12-15 (NKJV)12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing
before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the
Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the
things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead
who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And
they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and
Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15
And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of
fire. [1]
God’s goal is not to make people
perish – that is go to hell, in fact the next verse makes that clear. Vs. 17
“God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but that
the world through Him might be saved. Vs. 18 “He who does not believe is
condemned already because he has not believed in the only begotten Son of God.”
Even John’s teaching at the end of
the chapter in verse 36 makes this clear.
“He who believes in the son has everlasting life, and he who does not
believe the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him”
God’s wrath toward those who don’t
believe is eternal punishment in hell that is the word “perish”.
So you must ask yourself the question
today have you put your full trust in Jesus Christ for salvation or do you find
yourself at odds with a Holy God? I ask
you today to put your faith in Jesus Christ, turn from your sin to obey the
good news that Jesus died for you.
The video version of this is available at www.youtube.com/churchoflittleton FW # 28
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