What does John 3:16 mean?

You might have come to this thread thinking, “Oh this is an easy one.” But I ask you to resist the urge to not read past the title. What I am about to say requires a truth-seeker’s heart, humility, and a thirst for the rightly-divided Word of God.

One of the most well-known verses inside and outside of Christendom is also one of the least understood.

Jesus asks us in a number of places to drop our preconceived notions, to stop thinking too much, and just believe like a child does. That’s the only way to really understand the Word of God.

John 3:16 KJV
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

“…whosoever believeth in him should not perish…”
The physical bodies of all mortals perish, whether they are unrighteous or righteous. The unrighteousness soul and spirit will not live forever under any circumstances because they did not believe. They will cease to exist, they will perish, they will not be conscious and alive like the righteous are.

“…but have everlasting life…”
Therefore, the promise of never perishing applies to the soul and spirit of the person who believes in Christ. The person who believes in Christ will have a soul and spirit that has everlasting life. They will be living forever in eternal conscious communion with God.

Concisely: believe in Jesus and you’ll live forever. Don’t believe in Jesus and you won’t live forever. Full stop.

It's amazing that no one would respond to this. Truly . . . amazing.

The thing is . . . some people [did] believe in Jesus, but they weren't granted Eternal Life. Why?

What was the condition, or fulcrum, to whether or not they sprouted or dried up and withered into death?

Matthew 13:20-21 NKJV - "But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles."

Is it the same reason for why some people believed yet Christ never knew them?

Matthew 7:22-23 NKJV - "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"

John 3:16 shows us the general Purpose of Christ, but it does not disclose the Work of Christ. It also gives us a glimpse of the Effect of Christ, such as Living Forever . . . but prior to human death, there are Holy Effects that produce Transformation.

John 3:16 and 17 are critical, Keystone passages of the entire Bible. But . . . this is not the Gospel in itself. To know the full Gospel, we must be able to describe the Work of Christ (the "fulcrum" as I noted above) and we must be able to outline the Holy Effect of Christ (that is evident prior to the reception of Eternal Life).

I cannot believe how much I LOVE the Mysterious Plan of God Almighty!

amen the son is who the prophets promised should come the one God would send and all who put thier trust in him would have eternal Life of course like your saying flesh and blood are all appointed to death

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:50‬ ‭

we are all appointed that our body will die it’s like a rental house four our true person within. after we leave our body we have an appointment

at creation

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, ( body)

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; ( spirit )

and man became a living soul.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

At death

“Then shall the dust ( body) return to the earth as it was:

and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭12:7‬ ‭

We’re all appointed to this whether good or evil when our spirit returns to God for this purpose

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die,

but after this the judgment:”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

After our spirit leaves the body (in Christ )

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

in Christ we are escaping this death

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭20:14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

the book of life is filled with these words

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”
‭‭John‬ ‭8:51‬ ‭KJV‬‬


and those in the grave raised at the end facing the second death are in this group

“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”
‭‭John‬ ‭12:48-50‬ ‭KJV‬‬

we want to be in the group promised life after death rather than the grave and hell. we can accept our judgement now if we believe the word of Christ and come to repentance and life

or face it later if we reject his word either way it’s our judgement


It’s the difference in sending our sins ahead to be forgiven or having them follow us to judgement

“Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment;

and some men they follow after.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

we can repent and be forgiven for the deeds we had wrong in the body if we do it now rather than waiting and having then judged when repentance isn’t the call

So now we have to deal with the false doctrine of Annihilationism. That annihilates John 3:16 altogether.

The scriptures that 2TG referred to came to my mind too, and the question begged, 'what is meant/implied by the phrase 'believe in Jesus'. Merely acknowledging Jesus' existence doesn't appear to be sufficient 'belief' on its own, and even adding a reference to Him as Lord doesn't appear to add adequate weight to the 'belief', either. Furthermore, it seems that exercising some kind of religious ministry doesn't necessarily boost our 'belief' to adequacy, either.

We are exhorted not to fall into the trap of believing that our faith on its own, without accompanying works of faith and other righteous acts, will impress God.

So what actually is meant by salvation through a 'believe in Jesus', and 'saved by faith, and that given through grace'?

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we have to accept his ( Jesus ) word that’s where saving faith that causes change and action comes from to believe his doctrine

“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“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.

… He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. 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.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3:16, 31-36‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
‭‭John‬ ‭6:29‬ ‭

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭6:63‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭

Vs
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”
‭‭John‬ ‭12:48-50‬ ‭KJV‬

There are about 59 more mentions of this

“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.

He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:”
‭‭2 John‬ ‭1:9-10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

to believe in Jesus we have to hear what he said that’s why God sent him man had lost all our good jidgement Christ came to teach us Gods word of life it’s why he was born in the flesh and annointed to preach the gospel

“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”
‭‭John‬ ‭18:37‬ ‭

We had been in darkness not knowing the truth of God but he sent Jesus to teach us and so faith comes from hearing and believing the gospel the word of Christ

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

his word creates saving faith in us because we do this

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:15-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

too Many of us want to believe in Jesus and at the same time reject the word of God his word hat makes us “ born again “ changes us because we hear and believe what he’s saying is true

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:23-25‬ ‭

he’s spoken salvation so that those who believe in him can be saved

“Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Thank you for your response. I guess my question was somewhat rhetorical, as well as being inquiring of other's opinions. Reading through your response, one take out scripture for me is, and I paraphrase: "Whoever transgresses by not abiding in the doctrine of Christ, is not known by God". Now, what exactly is it to 'abide in the doctrine of Christ'? Isn't it, 'denying the temptations of the flesh and the sinful ways of the world daily, obey all of Jesus' teachings, and live a lifestyle similar to His? Don't I have to do all those things to be saved, or have I got that wrong?

I’m not talking about the annihilationism doctrine. I’m just pointing out what John 3:16 says.

Dear Runningman,
How can any person believe in Christ in light of these two verses below?

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Rom 3:10-11 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

How can anyone believe in Christ when they have no desire to "seek" Him out? And if Christ comes to them instead, how can they understand the truth of Christ so that they can believe in Him?

If a person actually believes these two verses above, no one will ever "believe" and be saved.

Now look at this verse:

1 Cor 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.

If we have to have the Holy Spirit BEFORE we can believe in Christ and accept Him as Lord, how does anyone ever get saved?

Joe

Well that is DEFINITELY NOT what John 3:16 is about. The word "perish" is used for eternal damnation, not annihilation. If unbelievers were to simply be annihilated -- cease to exist -- there would be no need for the Gospel. See Mark 16:15,16. Unfortunately most lexicons have tiptoed around this instead of plainly saying perish = eternal damnation.

Strong's Concordance
apollumi: to destroy, destroy utterly
Original Word: ἀπόλλυμι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: apollumi
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ol'-loo-mee)
Definition: to destroy, destroy utterly
Usage: (a) I kill, destroy, (b) I lose, mid: I am perishing (the resultant death being viewed as certain).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
... tropically, to incur the loss of true or eternal life; to be delivered up to eternal misery: John 3:15 [forgets to include John 3:16]

To me, it means that while I was dead in my sins, God chose me for salvation and through no righteousness or effort of my own, was given the gift of eternal life through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, aka, spiritual rebirth.
Kinda puts things in perspective.

Dear Oblio,
I agree with your statement. That is the scriptural answer to how we are saved.

In short, Christ MUST come to each of us and give us the gift of the Holy Spirit "through no righteousness or effort of my part".

I would like to ask you some questions to expand on your statement.

In John 3:16, it says God loves the world, not just you. Do you believe that He is going to give the same gift to everyone else? If not, why not?

Joe

Though I wish it was otherwise, I don't believe everyone will be saved. Why not? When it comes down to it, I don't know.
I have questions that only the Lord can answer, though He hasn't. It is enough for me to know that He loves me unconditionally and will never leave me. And that I will dwell in His house forever. Shalom.

No.

Believers in Christ have everlasting life. Everyone else perishes. That’s literally what the verse says and it’s the gospel. Your error was opening immediately with accusations of me preaching a false doctrine, but your beef is with Jesus Christ, not me.

The word perish used here, as you accurately posted for us from the Strong’s means to destroy. You can use your Strong’s to see how destroy is used elsewhere in the Bible.

The Thayer’s Greek lexicon you quoted isn’t useful. It is not gospel and it adds an unbiblical interpretation to John 3:16.

Actually and exactly: the text says that the one believing in Jesus will not perish but will be having eternal life. It does not actually say anything directly about the one who is not believing. (though other texts do talk clearly about the one who does not believe.)

The problem lies with the reinterpretation of "perish" to mean annihilation. This is a subtle way of promoting the false doctrine of Annihilationism. The Bible is crystal clear that eternal damnation is the opposite of eternal life. Imagine a preacher telling his audience that if they do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ they will simply cease to exist. They will respond by saying "That's no biggie. Let us eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we cease to exist".

The prerequisite for everlasting life is believing in Christ. By basic logic that means if you don’t believe in Christ you don’t have eternal life anywhere, at all, under any circumstances, no exceptions.

Just because it refutes your nonsense "it is not useful". You are the one who is promoting an unbiblical idea -- a false doctrine.

No, perish does not mean “eternal misery” like the Thayer’s says. Perish means to destroy. That’s why the Thayer’s isn’t any more useful in this instance than if you quoted Harry Potter right now. Please stop with this nonsense. I’m interested in serious Bible discussion only.

Dear Oblio,
Your understanding of how Christ' s saves a person is correct so maybe I can help you build on that foundation.

Scripture is written in bits and pieces that must be assembled to understand the truth of Christ:

Isa 28: 10-12 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Psa 119:160 The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

When scripture teaches us truth, different aspects of that truth are presented in other verses of scripture. No verse of scripture stands alone. We must assemble the pieces and put them together before we can understand the full truth. In the case of salvation, we need to do the same.

Concerning mankind's salvation, scripture says this:

James 1:18 According to his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a certain first-fruits of his creatures.

James is not just talking about the Very Elect (apostles). James is speaking about everyone who is presently being saved in this age. They are considered "first fruits".

First Fruits are the early portion of the harvest. It is "typed" by the Feast of First Fruits. But there is also a harvest that comes at the end of the growing season. This harvest is "typed" by the Feast of Tabernacles.

Here is where many err from the truth. In this age, Christ (solely His work) is only saving those who have been chosen from the foundation of the world. They are the First Fruits of His harvest of mankind. They are also called the Heirs, the Elect, the Saints and the chosen. He is not saving anyone else at this time nor is He trying to.

The full harvest of mankind (everyone else who was not chosen in this age) will come at the end of the final age. I call this age the Lake of Fire age. It is not an eternal age or an everlasting age. It is a age of time that has a beginning and an end, like all ages do.

Understanding Christ's plan for the salvation of all mankind is quite involved and requires a foundation that must be built upon with truth. When the full building is completed, the full knowledge of the truth will be complete. You have the foundation already laid by your belief that salvation comes solely from the work of Christ within a person. In our spiritually marred, carnally minded spiritual condition we all have from birth, no man has a "free will" ability to make a decision to accept Christ as Lord, nor do they have the ability to understand the "truth".

For a person to be saved, Christ must come to them individually and give them the gift of the Holy Spirit. Since He loves all mankind, He will come to everyone at a time of His choosing. In this age, most of mankind is not "called". But "many" are called. Then, from the group of those who are "called", Christ has chosen a "few" to be saved as the First Fruits of this age. Those who remain in a lost condition upon their deaths (probably more than 99.9999% of all mankind who has ever lived), they will travel the path to salvation in the final age.

Rather than go into the details of the pathway, here are some verses that teach the final outcome for mankind's salvation.

1 Cor 15:20-28 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the consummation, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Phi 2:10-11 That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Rom 5:18-19 so then as it was by one offence towards all men to condemnation, so by one righteousness towards all men for justification of life. For as indeed by the disobedience of the one man the many have been constituted sinners, so also by the obedience of the one the many will be constituted righteous.

Acts 3:20-21 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world:

1John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Most Christians believe that Christ is going to not just fail to save the world, but that He will fail miserably. And then in His wrath, He is going to torment in literal fire those who He couldn't save for all eternity. This is completely untrue.

Scripture says that God is love and that love never fails. Since mankind's salvation is 100% the work of Christ, how can He possibly fail? He can't. If He were to fail in the mission the Father gave Him, it would be a sin.

To be saved, a person must believe Christ. Christ is the Word of God, so therefore, to be saved, we must believe the Word of God. That takes "FAITH" and by that same FAITH (which Christ gives us), we are saved. The Word of God clearly says that Christ will save all mankind but most refuse to believe it. They believe that mankind's "will" is just too strong for Christ to overcome, even though scripture says differently (Dan 4:35). They have a "works" based belief system. This kind of belief system will not save a person.

But in the end, mankind's salvation will be testified to be true:

1 Tim 2:3-6 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

If you can believe that Christ is the Savior of the World, I could also help you understand His plan on how He is going to accomplish this great work.

Joe