If you look at the phrase “the world” in John’s Gospel, it is certainly not referring to a limited sense.
John 1:9The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into
the world.
John 1:10He was in
the world, and
the world was made through him, yet
the world did not know him.
John 1:29The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of
the world!
John 3:16“For God so loved
the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:17For God did not send his Son into
the world to condemn
the world, but in order that
the world might be saved through him.
John 3:19And this is the judgment: the light has come into
the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
John 4:42They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of
the world.”
John 6:14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into
the world!”
John 6:33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to
the world.”
John 6:51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of
the world is my flesh.”
John 7:4For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to
the world.”
John 7:7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.
John 8:12Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of
the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:26I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to
the world what I have heard from him.”
John 9:5As long as I am in
the world, I am the light of
the world.”
John 9:32Never since
the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.
John 10:36do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into
the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
Also, it is not saying God only loves the “whosoevers” of the world. It is saying that God loved the entire world. However, his condition for eternal life is believing in the Son. This opportunity is open to everyone. “Whosoever” makes it clear that this offer is not limited to particular races or geneologies, but anyone in the world. The point here is that God’s offer of salvation is not open only to a select few or a particular nation (such as Israel) but is extended to the entire world.
Of course God hates evil and condemns sinners. However, the entire point of the Gospel that Paul makes very clear in Romans 2-3 is that “no one” is righteous and all are sinners. This is why it is called grace. We dont deserve it and those who believe recieve what they have not merited based on Christ’s righteousness rather than their own.
