Skip to main content

John 3:16


Jesus speaking to Nicodemus

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.

  “John 3:16.” 


Undoubtedly, this is the most widely know scripture reference, and that has not been by accident.  Many believe that John 3:16 is the most concise statement of the Christian faith, the gospel in a nutshell so to speak.

We see in this passage the indescribable love of God for humanity; a love that would compel God, to give the life of his only Son, Jesus Christ. God is not indifferent toward each of us, God is passionate for us.

Let's look for a moment at John 3:16 in context.  The passage has to do with what it means to be born again.  Nicodemus, curious about Jesus, comes to Him one night with a compliment towards all Jesus had done. Jesus tells him “no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (John 3:5) Nicodemus doesn’t get it and so Jesus explains that it is not about religiosity. It’s not about doing.   It’s not about keeping “the rules.” It’s about a totally new relationship – a spiritual one! How does this occur?

 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”  (John 3:15)  


Why?  

“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.” (John 3:16)

What an awesome invitation! And He did this to save us not condemn us! But what about those who don’t believe? 

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.”  (John 3:17)


We are all sinners and the consequence of sin is death, eternal separation from God. (Psalm 51:5; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 6:23) But God made a way for us to be reconciled to Himself and enter into relationship with Him. Christ lived a perfect, blameless life and provided the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He died in our place. 
We all must be “born again” to have eternal life, there is no in between. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36)  To remain neutral to Jesus is still a form of rejection.  How have you responded to Jesus?  Will you believe in Him today?
From my heart,
Acacia

Has this verse spoken to you in a special way? Submit your story or reflections to us at: devotional@keywicards.com

“Writing on our hearts” is more than just a blog, we are an online community of Christians who share how God’s word has changed our hearts and our lives, especially through meditation, study, and memorization. Please write us! We’d love to hear how this verse has ministered to you and what God has spoken to you through its truth!
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

God's Word

    As I look back over the last ten years of my life and back to that moment when I memorized Psalm 138:8 in 2003, “ The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love, O Lord, endures forever, do not abandon the works of Your hands .” (NIV ’83) I’m reminded of one thing that remained constant throughout those years: God’s word. As I was pursuing various career paths, jobs, classes, businesses, and relationships, one thing remained the same: God, His enduring love, and the faithfulness of His word and His promises. In the midst of all we go through and all we encounter in life, God has given us the unshakable and unchangeable truth of His word. God’s word is truth that endures forever because by His very nature, God is eternal and unchangeable. Jesus said: “ Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away ” (Matt 24:35, NIV) The apostle Peter quoted Isaiah: “ All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the ...
Read more

1 John 4:9-10

God loves me This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us   and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Devotional Coming Soon!! Has this verse spoken to you in a special way?  Submit your story or reflections to us at: devotional@keywicards.com “Writing on our hearts” is more than just a blog, we are an online community of Christians who share how God’s word has changed our hearts and our lives, especially through meditation, study, and memorization.  Please write us! We’d love to hear how this verse has ministered to you and what God has spoken to you through its truth!
Read more

Tips for Memorization using Keywis

Take your Keywi cards wherever you go to make best use of your spare moments! Back to:  Memorization WHERE: Keywi™ cards are meant to help keep your memory verses always on hand. Most people find keeping them on their keys the best way to always have their verses with them. For others, keeping them strapped to a purse, backpack, belt loop, or water bottle, might be the best strategy. WHEN: Once you’ve decided where to attach your keywi TM  cards, look for spare moments throughout your day to read through, recite, review, and repeat the flashcards. Some common opportunities to do this include waiting in a check-out line, pumping gas, waiting for a meeting to begin, in the midst of a traffic jam, at lunchtime, during a break, or while taking a walk. WHAT: Choose a pack of flashcards that best suits your current need or get a pack of blank cards to customize the verses you want to memorize. It is important to strive for 100% accuracy when you memorize. Not only wi...
Read more