The Golden Text of Scripture: Of Finding Eternal Life Only in Jesus Christ

Study passage: "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." (John 3:16)

1. Introduction

The Gospel of John, chapter 3 verse 16, is one of the all-time beloved and well-known verses in the entire Bible. It is frequently called the “golden text” of Scripture.

2. The reality of our nature

The world was in a ruinous, condemned state, about to perish everlastingly; and was utterly without power to rescue itself from destruction. We are in total ruin in God’s sight. We are dead, lost, unclean, alienated, totally depraved. We cannot influence, on our part, a right relationship with God. Because of our spiritual state, we cannot fix ourselves. We are sinners. That is not an illusion. It is a reality. We are spiritually dead and lost.

3. Who God is

God is the One with all wisdom, knowledge, power, and authority. God is the Creator and not a created being nor a part of the creation. He is the One who established the universe with a word and set time in motion. God is omnipotent. He is all-powerful. God is eternal. God has always existed. He has neither a beginning nor an ending. God is holy and perfect. God is righteous and in him there is no sin. God is omnipresent. He is present everywhere at the same time. God is omniscient. God knows everything. God is love. God's love is unconditional and selfless toward mankind. God is good and all that he originally created before the Fall was good. God is full of mercy. God is patient and slow to anger. God is truth and is trustworthy in all he says and does. God is just. God is fair, honest, and just in his dealings with mankind.

4. So Loved

Sin entered mankind through the disobedience of Adam and Eve. The result of sin is death. Death is twofold. First, it is physical death. From dust we were made and to dust we return. Second, it is spiritual death. Spiritual death is worse than physical death because it means eternal separation from God. Among his many attributes, God is also love. His very nature is love. His love for mankind, the crown of his creation, is supremely expressed when he sent his Son, Jesus, into the world as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

5. The World

The world here can be taken as the cosmos. The world includes everybody. Each one of us is uniquely and passionately loved by this awesome and powerful God. He cares and is mindful of everyone all over the world.

6. That He Gave

Sin is an indescribable evil that requires no less a sacrifice to make atonement for it than for God to manifest himself in the flesh as Jesus Christ, the Son. God's love for mankind is more pure, rich, and true than any love we could experience in this world. Out of God’s love flows a generosity beyond comprehension. God showered us with the greatest gift of all. God loves us. He always has. In Christ, he reaches down to us. Jesus Christ gave himself to you and to me. The Bible calls him "the unspeakable gift."

7. His Only Begotten Son

The sacrifice of Jesus was the only means by which the redemption of man could be effected, and it is absolutely sufficient to accomplish this gracious design. It would have been inconsistent with the wisdom of God to have appointed any other than the sinless, the unblemished Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Jesus is fully God and yet humbled himself to become fully man. Death was the natural consequence of our sin, but Jesus came to pay that penalty and redeem us.

8. Whoever Believes

Jesus Christ is not merely a spiritual guide who came to show sinners the path on which they ought to travel. He is himself the Way to the Father. The sinless, spotless Lamb of God died in our place. All our sins were laid on him, and he paid our death penalty. Because that penalty has now been paid by the blood of Jesus on the cross and because that gift has been given, we need only to believe, to accept, to acknowledge, that the debt has already been paid. The word "whoever" indicates that the gift of freedom from sin, condemnation, and death is not restricted to a particular race or nation. Salvation belongs to anyone and anywhere in the world who believes. No man is saved through this sacrifice, but he that believes.

9. Should Not Perish

God's purpose toward humankind is positive; it is an attitude of love. He is not seeking an excuse to condemn human beings but is rather endeavouring to save them. Those who believe won’t have to suffer the penalty of sin and death. For those who believe, death is not a finality. It is not the end. They are exempted from eternal perdition- they will not perish.

We find two grand operations of grace, by which the salvation of man is effected:

1.      Justification, by which the guilt of sin is removed, and consequently the person is no longer obnoxious to perdition.

2.      Sanctification, or the purification of his nature, by which he is properly fitted for the kingdom of glory.

10. But Have Everlasting Life

Those who believe are brought to eternal glory. Only Jesus can save us from sin, condemnation, and death. Only in him can we find eternal life. Everlasting life is something far greater, more beautiful, and lasting than anything this earth has to offer. We have heaven, we have eternity, we have perfect fellowship with God himself to look forward to. Eternal life is not just the continuation of a beating heart and the functions of the mind. We will come alive with glorified bodies that death can no longer touch. We shall see God as he is and dwell with him for eternity.

Selie Visa