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by Jennifer Slattery
"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
John 3:16 can easily run through our brains without much cognizant thought, but have we paused to consider what it truly means? Have we contemplated the depth of truths packed within this verse, preserved by God Himself, throughout countless generations? Most importantly, how do we live in the reality that John 3:16 presents—that God, who is love, actively demonstrated His love through Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, and through Him, offered salvation to all mankind.
The Biblical Context of John 3:16
Let’s take a look at that verse now. It reads, “For God so loved the world,” or, as the NLT puts it, “This is how God loved the world: He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” There’s so much to unpack in those words, but first, we need to understand the historical and literary context surrounding them. We find John 3:16, perhaps one of the clearest presentations of the gospel, tucked in a conversation between Jesus and a prestigious religious ruler. You may be familiar with the story.
One night, presumably after many of his colleagues were home in bed, a Pharisee named Nicodemus from the Jewish ruling council came to Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we know that You are a teacher who comes from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him” (John 3:2). This statement suggests a few things: Nicodemus was familiar with Jesus, most likely respected Him, and recognized that He indeed came from God, just like John 3:16 later states. Nicodemus obviously knew of the miracles Jesus had performed. He’d probably heard many truths Jesus spoke as well, all of which seemed to have triggered a driving question: Who are you? Perhaps you’ve asked God that yourself. Beneath his words of affirmation, of wonderment, Nicodemus appears to be investigating Jesus’ identity. To which Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:6). READ MORE
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