The Characteristics of Eternal Life: John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

– John 3:16

No matter your background, it is a safe assumption to make that you have at some point seen John 3:16. Whether it was during a Sunday morning worship service, a television program, or on the side of your to-go cup, John 3:16 is the most commonly quoted verse in all of the Bible. But in it's significance, the weight of these words can sometimes be lost. More often than not, those who have these words memorized fail to know the context behind them. For instance, If I were a betting man, I would bet that many don't know who these words were originally spoken to (It's Nicodemus, for those who were curious). I might even go as far as to wonder how many actually know who originally said these words (It was Jesus, although there is some debate on that)! Nevertheless, I believe all of us, whether you have a degree in New Testament, or are picking up your Bible for the very first time, can benefit from a deep dive into our favorite verse in the bible.

1. The Subject: Love (For God so loved...)

Every word of the Bible is under the umbrella of love. The reason for this is because as John describes in 1 John 4:8, "God is love." So if God is love itself and the Bible is the Word of God, then everything we read within its pages would be under the subject of love. John 3:16 in particular is describing for us God's love. As we begin to approach this verse, it is important to keep this in mind that every other word following these first four are incapsulated by the love of God!

2. The Object: The World (...The world...)

For a man like Nicodemus, these two words would have shattered his entire understanding of God. Nicodemus and the rest of the Jewish people, would have no issue believing "For God so loved..." It is when you add "The world" to the end of that statement that they begin to ask more questions.

The Jewish understanding of God's love began and ended with the Jews. They believed that God loved them, but the rest of the world were outside of God's love. They believed that in order to gain the love of God you must become a Jew. This theology of love was intertwined into everything they believed about God and the Messiah that had been promised to them. In their minds, the Messiah would come to condemn the world and "save" the Jews from the world. To believe that God loves the whole world and not just them completely twist their understanding of not only themselves, but the Messiah as well.

3. The Expression: Jesus (...That he gave his only Son...)

The greater the lover, the greater the love. The lesser the object of love the greater that love really is. The greater the expression of love the greater the evidence of love.

– Sinclair Ferguson

Sinclair Ferguson's words about love paint us a picture of the true depth of God's love for the world. God, as an expression of his love, sent the world his Son. This expression of his love is evidence of just how great God's love really is. He did not send a lesser expression, he sent his one and only Son, an extension of himself! As believers today we have all the evidence we need to find peace in the love of God.

4. The Purpose: Life (...That whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.)

The subject, the object, and the expression all funnels into the purpose, which is life and life everlasting! God's expression of his love to the whole world was to invite us all into an eternal relationship with him. His choice to send his Son was to save us from our condemnation. It was the blood of Christ that bought the gift of grace from God the Father.

John 3;16 is not just a summary of the gospel, it is a marching order for how to see God and his plan for humanity. It is a guide for life and life everlasting.