#God #Love #Son #World
(Unless otherwise cites the New American Standard Bible (NASB) is used through this devotional. It can be found at https://www.biblegateway.com.)
Context
14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;15 so that whoever [d]believes will in Him have eternal life.16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [e]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already because he has not believed in the name of the [f]only begotten Son of God. (John 3:14-18).
Devotional Explanation.
John 3:16 is the most quoted Scripture in the Bible. This one first alone is filled with hope. “God so loved” is a type of love beyond anything a human being can relate to. It is so existential that we cannot comprehend its source. The word love in this sentence and within this context means “agape” Strong Concordance Defines Agape as ἀγάπη agápē, ag-ah’-pay; from G25; love, i.e., affection or benevolence; especially (plural) a love-feast:—(feast of) charity(-ably), dear, love. As a point of reference, the reader may look at a similar decision made by Abraham in Genesis 22:2 “He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” Do I hear you say WOW?
Well said! God’s Son’s mission was to become the slain Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, not temporarily like the Passover Lamb, but forever. (Take a look at the OT Testament correlation: The Passover Lamb.) Salvation is not something one earns when we say yes to Jesus. It is our way of life. For us to make salvation a way of life, we must believe [or continue to believe every day as we ask for forgiveness for our current sins]. Belief establishes our relationship with God and shows the world [ as we live] that we love God more than everything and everyone we hold dear.
The Shammah (Matthew 22:37) tells us how that love of God is demonstrated in our lives. “And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” When Christians want to show how much they love God, they live this verse each day of their lives. They do not have to go to anyone for them to forgive them. God has already done that. In appreciation of that forgiveness, we love God back with all we are and have.
References
“G26 – agapē – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed March 4, 2019. https://www.blueletterbible.org//lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=g26&t=kjv
Borgen, Peder. 2014. The Gospel of John – More Light from Philo, Paul, and Archaeology: the Scriptures, Tradition, Exposition, Settings, Meaning. Leiden: BRILL. Accessed March 4, 2019. ProQuest Ebook Central.
Cayce, Ken. 2018. The Gospel of John: Chapter 3. Accessed March 4, 2019. http://www.biblestudys.org/Bible%20Books/John/John%20Chapter%203%20Continued.
You Are Not the Only One 
You must be logged in to post a comment.