I pray that I might be enabled
to preach this message as it ought to be preached. This precious verse is used by
the enemies of free grace to deny that God's love is only
to the elect and to deny that Christ suffered on the cross
only for the elect. God does love only the elect. That's what the Bible teaches. Christ died on Calvary's tree
only for the elect. That's what the Bible teaches.
And this precious verse of scripture that I've just read does not
contain even a hint of denying what I just said or contradicting
what I just said. Now, this verse is too high. It's too glorious. It's too awe
inspiring and reverential to be used by way of controversy,
And what I want for us to do is see what this verse actually
says. John 3, 16. Brother Mahan once preached a
message from this passage when he made this statement. I'll
never forget this message. This was a very helpful message
to me. He said, John 3, 16 is not the
gospel. John 3.14 is the gospel. As Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
That's the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. There's the gospel.
Verse 15 tells us the results of the gospel. That whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And
verse 16 tells us the cause of the gospel. For, here's why all
this is true, for God so loved the world that he gave his only
begotten son. There's the cause behind the
gospel, or the reason for the gospel. 1 John 4, 8 says, God
is love. Now, we never read in the Bible
that God is wrath. We never read that, do we? We
don't read that God is hate. Now, he has those attributes,
but we do not read where he is hate or he is wrath, but we do
read that God is love. Not here is love and God fits
that description, but God is. Love. Herein, John said, is love. Here's where it is. Not that
we love God, but that He loved us. God is love. And so much could be said from
the scriptures regarding God's love. Let me give you a few things. I was thinking about this. I
believe the Bible teaches regarding God's love. First, God's love
is in Christ. I hear preachers talk about God's
love being unconditional, and everybody is desirous of unconditional
love. God's love is not unconditional. God's love is in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Outside of Christ, he's going
to judge. His love is in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Romans 8.39 says, Nothing shall
separate us from the love of God, which is where? In Christ
Jesus, our Lord. So God's love is not conditional.
It is not unconditional. It is in the Lord Jesus Christ. There's no such thing as unconditional
love. I hear that term all the time.
There's no such thing. Secondly, God's love is sovereign,
according to the scriptures. In Romans 9, verse 13, God said,
Jacob, have I loved, but Esau, have I hated? That's what God
says. And I've heard people say, well,
what that means is, is he loved Esau less. How in the world does
God go about loving less? God loves less? Why, just the
thought of that is blasphemy. God's love is sovereign. He loves
whoever he is pleased to set his affection upon. He said,
Jacob have I loved. Jacob have I loved, but Esau
have I hated. God's love is everlasting. We
read this in Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 3. He says to all of
his people, behold, I have loved you. With an everlasting Therefore, with loving kindness
have I drawn thee." His love never had a beginning. That blows
my mind. If I'm somebody that's loved
by God, there was never a time when He began to love me. And
there's never a time when His love will cease. Behold, I love
you, He says, with an everlasting love. Now, I love thinking about
that. God's love is saving. Listen to this scripture from
Ephesians 2, 4. It says, But God, who is rich
in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us even when
we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace
ye are saved. Everybody God loves. God says. His love is always
saving love. And God's love is always returned. God doesn't love somebody in
vain and then not end up loving him in return. Listen to this
scripture. 1 John chapter 4 verse 19 says
we love him and we do. We love him because he first You see, everybody God loves,
that love is not going to go unrequited. They're going to
love him in return. Every single one of them. But
this verse I just read in John 3, 16 regarding God's love. Makes me have a little bit of
understanding. Of what Paul the Apostle meant
when he said to know the love of Christ, which passive knowledge. Now, what I'm talking about right
now is not something any of us are really going to be able to
grasp. We can believe it. We can revel in it and rejoice
in it, but as far as grasping it, no. The love of Christ, passive. It overpasses knowledge. This is not something you and
I are going to really be able to And I think you see why by
the end of this message. Now, what I see in John 3, 16
and 17, I see six things that are taught regarding God's love. Now, I would assume that this
is probably the most famous verse of scripture in the Bible. You
know, if you watch a ball game. You're always going to see people
hold up those signs. John 3, 16. That's enough. This is a famous verse of Scripture.
What does it actually teach? Now, the first thing that I would
notice from this passage of Scripture is the tense of God's love. For God so loved. the world." God so loved the world. He does not say, for God so loves
the world. He says, for God so loved the
world. I hear preachers say, God loves
you. But you know, the Bible doesn't
speak that way. God so loved the world. As a matter of fact, to say to
unbelievers, God loves you and Christ died for you would be
to misrepresent God, wouldn't it? I'm not going to tell somebody
that refuses to bow the knees of Christ that God loves you
and Christ died for you. That's the assurance of the believer.
That's not for the unbeliever to hear. He needs to hear, bow
beneath Christ, believe on Christ, believe the gospel. The assurance
of the believer is God loves you and Christ died for you.
To say to all men without exception, God loves you and Christ died
for you would to be misrepresenting God and telling a lie. I know
at least one person he didn't love. He saw, he said, he saw
if I hated. Those are God's words. God so loved. Loved. I've already quoted this
scripture once, Jeremiah 31, 3, Behold, I have loved you with
an everlasting Therefore, with loving kindness will I draw you. There was never a beginning with
God's love. If I'm an object of his love, he always has loved
me. And he always will. For God so
loved the world. Now, the next thing that I would
look at in this verse of scripture is the magnitude of his love. For God so loved the world. He loved the world in this manner. God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son. Perhaps that's the best definition
of love. Love gives, and the magnitude
of one's love is seen in what they are willing to give to the
object of their love. Little love gives little. Great love gives great Now, all
love is measurable to some extent, except for this love. It's beyond
measure. The love of God is greater far
than tongue or pen could ever tell. It goes beyond the highest
star. It reaches to the lowest hell. This love that I'm speaking of
right now is immeasurable. You know, Paul put it this way.
He talked about the love of Christ that passeth knowledge. I've
already quoted that. It can't be measured. Second
Corinthians, chapter eight, verse nine, says that giving proves
the sincerity of our love. How you really love is seen in
how you give. Everything else is just talk. Well, the Lord
proved the sincerity of his love in who he gave. For God so loved
the world, and He gave, He gave His only begotten Son. Now, here's the third thing I
want us to consider from this passage of Scripture, the scope
of His love. Who is it that He actually loves
so much that He gave His only begotten Son for them? Now, they're
described in two ways in this verse of Scripture. He loved
the world, and He loved those who believe. That's the twofold
description of the people He loved so much, He gave His only
begotten Son for. The world and those who believe,
one and the same thing. He loved the world. God so loved
the world. Now, what is meant by the world?
The world is used in a lot of ways in the scriptures. As a
matter of fact, if you get Vine's dictionary of the New Testament
and read his definition of the world, he gives nine different
senses in which the word world is used. And do you know not
one time is the word world used as a description of all men without
exception. Not once is the word used that
way. Sometimes the word means all
men without distinction. He died for the sins of the world.
Jews as well as Gentile, white as well as black, rich as well
as poor. There's all men without distinction. Sometimes the word world is used
with reference to this evil world that we're commanded not to love.
Remember when John says, love not the world, neither the things
that are in the world, all that is of the world, the lust of
the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life is not of the
Father, but is of the world. James said, if any man loved
the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Sometimes it just
means a geographical area. Remember when Caesar decreed
that all the world should be taxed? He's just talking about
all under his reign. God so loved the world. Now, what does the word world
mean here? God so loved the world. Now, I've read different commentators
who believe in God's special love to his people, and they
say, well, it means the world of God's elect. While I agree
with that in principle, I don't think that's what this passage
of scripture means. He loves this world that hated him. He loves this world of sinners. He loves this world of rebels. God commended his love toward
us in the while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Now, that's
what this is talking about. The world is sinners, the ungodly,
those who did not love Him, those who had no love for Him by nature. He loved the world, this world
of sinners, this world of wicked people, this world who does not
deserve His love. He so loved the world. Sinners. That's what that means.
Sinners of every kind. He so loved the world, this wicked,
ungodly, hell-deserving, ill-deserving world. God so loved the world
that He gave His only begotten Son. That's who He loves. The
world. This world that hated Him so.
That's amazing. Who is designed in this verse
of Scripture? The world. Those who believe. Those who believe. Let's read
the verse again. Verse 16. For God so loved the world, that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have eternal life. He loves whosoever believes. Now, we may not tell the one
who does not believe God loves you. Look what John 3.36 says. He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall
not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. It will not leave. That person
who refuses to bow the knee to Christ, who refuses to believe
the gospel, God's wrath, that's not his love, God's wrath will
abide on him for eternity. His love is for all those who
believe the gospel. I'm going to talk about that
more in just a moment. But now I want us to consider
the sacrifice of his love. Now, this is this is what just
goes beyond words. You know, Paul said thanks be
unto God for his unspeakable gift, a gift that can't even
be described by words. And that's what this is all about.
The sacrifice of his love. Now, there have been wonderful
sacrifices that men and women have made for those they love,
and it's a humbling thought to think that right now, as we sit
here freely, that there are men and
women who have lost their lives and sacrificed their lives that
we might have the right to do what we're doing right now. I'm
thankful for that. The sacrifices that men and women
have made for so many noble causes. But do you know that there is
no sacrifice that can compare with the sacrifice we're talking
about right now? God so loved the world that he
gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish." There is no sacrifice like this sacrifice. He gave
His only begotten Son, the One who was the sole representative
of the being and the character of Him who sent Him. He gave
His only begotten Son, the Son of His love. The love that exists. Between
the father and the son. Now, I don't much understand. But you think. About when our
Lord was in Gethsemane's garden. And the scripture said at that
time he fell down on his face, he was sore, amazed and very
heavy, according to the scripture. And he said, Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from me. How did the father feel when
the son prayed that? What did that do to the father?
Now, I know I don't understand it, That's the son of his love. He saw his son praying, if it
be possible, let this come fast for me. What about when the father
saw his son nailed to the cross? And at that time, Christ Jesus
cried out, my God, my God, at that time, he couldn't even call
him his father. As the sinner's substitute, he says, my God,
my God, why has thou forsaken me? How did the father feel? Words can't express it. But this
gives us some idea of the sacrifice of the father. He gave his only
begotten And well, beloved son, how could God love this vile
world so much that he gave his son to die in a way that the
father was the executioner? Now that just I don't know what
to say about that. The father loved. Me. This can be said of every believer.
The Father loved me so much that He gave His Son for me. And He, the Father, was the executioner. Is there any way that can be
described? Oh, the love of God! Could we
with ink the ocean fill and were the skies of parchment made? where every stalk on the earth
a quill, and every man a scribe by trade, to write the love of
God above would drain the ocean completely dry, nor would the
scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky, the
love of God that He would love sinners so much that He would
give His Son to die. Awake, O sword! God said, and
smite the shepherd. Anybody here understand that?
Can anybody here even grasp it? I've got one daughter. And she's precious to me. And I will assure you, I would
not give her to die for my enemies. It wouldn't happen. God did. Words fail me. The love of God, the sacrifice
of His love for this world. Now, let's consider the design
of His love. Verse 16 says, For God so loved
the world, That he gave his only begotten Son, and here's the
design of God's love, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. Now, there's the design of God's
love. Whosoever. This is a wonderful
word. Whosoever. Let me tell you why
it's a wonderful word, because I can fit myself in that group.
Whosoever. God so loved the world that whosoever
believed in him. And, you know, we're given a
wonderful, we considered this last Sunday, we're given a wonderful
illustration of what it is to believe on him. This is so simple. Look here in verse 14. And as
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must
the son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should
not perish, but have eternal life. Now, that serpent, dead. You look at that serpent impaled
on a pole, what were you to do? What were you to do? Look. What if you can't see? You won't
see until you look, and when you look, you will see. And if somebody was blind and
looked at that serpent, they saw. He doesn't say see, he says
look. You weren't to pray to that serpent,
you were to look to that serpent. Just look. You look to Christ
on the cross. You'll have eternal life. Whoso
looketh, whoso believeth, whoso resteth in him believing. Now, to believe is to rely upon. That's what that means. It's
so simple. It's to rely upon. All my eggs
are in this basket. Jesus, thy blood and righteousness. My beauties are my glorious dress,
misflaming worlds in these arrayed with joy shall I lift up my hand.
Bold shall I stand in that great day, for who ought to my charge
shall lay, fully absolved from these I am from sins, tremendous
curse and shame. When from the dust of death I
rise to take my mansions in the skies, even then shall this be
all my plea, that Jesus lived and died for me. He says, whosoever
believes. Now, here's the design of God's
love. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten
Son that whosoever believes. Get this next statement. should
not perish. They shouldn't perish. Then you
say they will not perish. It says they should not perish. The justice of God demands that
one's salvation. The law of God calls for his
salvation. The blood of Jesus Christ requires
his salvation. He should not perish because
he is justified. That's what the Lord did on Calvary
Street. Romans 5, 9 says, being now justified
by his blood. That means not guilty of justification. Not guilty. Now, we read five
senses of justification in the Scriptures. We read five different
senses. It's so important. First, we read of being justified
freely by grace. Now, let me back up a minute.
It's God that justifies. For you to be justified, God
is going to have to say, you're justified. This is God's work.
You can't, you know, the judge never in a court of law says,
would you want to be justified or condemned? That doesn't happen.
It's ridiculous to even think that way, isn't it? No, the only
way you can be justified is for God to say, the judge to say,
you're justified. You're justified. It's God that
justifies. Now, we read in the scripture,
remember, whosoever believeth on him should not perish. We
read in Romans 3, 24, being justified freely by his grace. Freely,
without a cause in you, God justified every believer. Now, the will
of God is so supreme. That when he says you're justified,
you are justified, doesn't mean you will be, it means you are. And then we read in Romans 5,
9 of being justified by his blood. You see. When Christ shed his
precious blood, the sins of all who believe were washed away. Nothing to be condemned for.
Remember, if you're justified, you are not guilty. And that's what the blood of
Christ does. And then we read in Romans 5, 1, Therefore, being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ. Faith is the instrument we receive
this justification with. We believe on Christ being justified
by faith. Everybody that he justifies receives
this justification by faith. We believe on him. And there
is no justification without faith. You know, I've heard some preachers
talk about justification and they almost want to leave faith
out of the equation. You're not justified because
of your faith, but you're sure not justified without faith.
He that believeth not is condemned. He that believeth not shall be
damned. There is no justification without
you personally believing the testimony of God. I'm to believe. You're to believe. Young people,
you are to believe on Christ and you're to believe on Christ
right now. Don't wait for anything. Old
people, you're to believe on Christ. You're to believe on
Christ right now. This is God's command. There
is no justification without relying on the Lord Jesus Christ. Justification
by faith. And then we also read in James
2 of justification by works. Man's justified by works, he
said, and not by faith only. It's your works. It's what you
do that will prove whether or not you really believe. And then
we read in Matthew 12 being justified by words, by your words, you'll
be justified by your words, you'll be condemned. What he means is
your speech will line up with the truth of the gospel. And
if it doesn't, you've never been justified. So he says, here's
the design of his love that whosoever believe it should not be condemned. He shouldn't because he's justified.
But what else does he say in verse 16? For God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Not only will they not perish,
but he has everlasting, eternal life. He has the very life of
God in his soul. Partakers of the divine nature,
a new nature, a holy nature, everlasting. Eternal life. Remember what our Lord said in
John 17 3. This is eternal life. That they might know thee, the
only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. And here's
my last point, the purpose of his love. And that is found in
verse 17, the purpose of this great love that our text speaks
of. For God sent not his Son into
the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him
might be saved." Now, here's God's purpose. He sent his only
begotten Son. He gave his only begotten Son
not to condemn the world. You know why? The world was condemned
already. He didn't have to send his son
to condemn the world, did he? The world was condemned already. So he didn't send his son in
order to condemn the world. He sent his son into this world
that the world through him might be saved. Now, this word might
does not express uncertainty. Like it might happen, but maybe
it won't. It expresses purpose. He sent
his son into the world that the world might be saved. Second Timothy 1 says he saved
us. And he called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to his own purpose. And grace, which were
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Now listen to
this scripture, Matthew 121. Thou shalt call His name Jesus,
for He shall save His people from their sins." Did He do it? Absolutely. Everybody He died
for, He saved. That's His purpose. He didn't
send His Son to condemn the world. He sent His Son that the world
through Him might be saved. are a lot of things that I find hard to believe in
the Bible, not because I'm incredulous and just think that the Bible
is not telling the truth. Not at all. There are a lot of things in
the Bible that really seem too good to be true. And here is what I find hardest to believe, that God loves me. That's what I find the most astounding
thing to believe, that God loves me. 1 John chapter 4 verse 16 says,
We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. Now
that word believed, I like the way the New International Version
presents it. We have known and relied upon
the love that God hath to us. And this love that's expressed
in this verse of scripture. I'm relying on this. Lonely hope. John 17, let's close with this
verse of scripture, turn to John 17. He says in verse 20, neither
pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe
on me through their word. You know, in that prayer, he's
praying for all the elect. He says, I'm not just praying
for these 12 disciples, I'm praying for everybody that is going to
believe through the centuries on me through their word, the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's encompassing every believer
when he makes this statement. And here's what he says in verse
21, that they all may be one as thou father art in me and
I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world
may believe that thou hast sent me. Regarding this thing of union
with Christ. How one are the father and the
son. Why, this is a perfect union,
isn't it? How one is the believer to the
Father and the Son? Same union. We need to keep that
in mind as we go on reading this passage of Scripture. This is
how real this union is. That they all may be one, as
thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may
be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent
me, and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them,
that they may be one, even as we are one, I in them, and thou
in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the
world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them
as every believer. Thou hast loved them as thou
hast loved me." You know what that verse of Scripture
says? It says, that the Father has to the Son, He has to every single believer. That's yours. For God so loved the world, that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him
should not perish, but have everlasting life. Praise God for John 3.16. Let's pray.