What if John 3:16 Was Not True?

John 3:16 says, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

But let me ask you a question: WHAT IF JOHN 3:16 WAS NOT TRUE? What if this precious jewel in the coffers of God’s Word was not true?

For instance…

1. WHAT IF GOD HAD NOT LOVED THE WORLD? The verse begins, “For God so loved the world…” Without God’s love, there would be no hope at all in this world. Roger Campbell said, “If God had not loved the world, our world would be a dark planet hurtling through space without hope. There would be nothing to live for and no purpose for existence.”

But, praise God, I want to tell you that God DOES love the world: Everything speaks of God’s love to humanity. Every sunrise; every blade of grass; every fountain of water; every birth; the face of every child – ALL speak of and are evidence of the love of God. But the GREATEST demonstration of God’s love is the cross, which makes me think…

2. WHAT IF GOD HAD NOT GIVEN HIS SON? The verse goes on to say, “…that he gave His only begotten Son…” What if, instead of God giving us His Son, He gave us what we deserve; and instead of sending His Son to die for our sins, and giving us the opportunity to have a life on Earth worth living and eternal life forever, He just sent us all to hell? Life would be a meaningless existence.

3. WHAT IF GOD’S OFFER OF SALVATION WERE NOT FOR THE “WHOSOEVERS”? Look again at what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:16, “…that whosoever believeth in him…” What a comforting word it is! It’s a word that is general, yet particular. It embraces all of humanity, and yet it touches each and every one of us. It means the Gospel is for EVERYONE, which means it’s for YOU and for ME!

4. WHAT IF GOD’S OFFER WERE NOT BASED ON FAITH ALONE? “…that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

On the cross in the middle is Jesus Christ, the sinless Lamb of God dying for the sins of everyone, including the two thieves there with Jesus, one on each side of Him. One of them mocked Jesus, but the other said to Jesus in faith, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

This was a thief, a sinner, a man of dishonesty, fraud, deception and vice, and it’s doubtful that he ever lived a good life, consistently tried to obey the commandments of God, or do good deeds for the poor. “And Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Luke 23:43)

The dying thief was given the promise of eternal life with Jesus on the basis of only one thing – FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST who paid his sin penalty in his place.

Aren’t you glad that John 3:16 IS true?

• God DID love the world, and that means God loves YOU. If you were the only person on earth, God would have sent Jesus to die just for you. That’s how much He loves you!
• God DID give His Son to die for your sins. The blood He shed on the cross is the only thing that can save you from your sins. Jesus was your substitute who paid the penalty for sin that you deserved to pay.
• God meant WHOSOEVER. That means young and old; smart or average; educated and not; lower class to upper class; wicked sinners like that thief on the cross with Jesus, and sinners like Nicodemus, who was religious and moral and sincere and earnest. This covers all mankind!
• And God’s offer of salvation IS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH ALONE. Not your church, or your religion, or your works, or how much good you have done will ever bring you eternal life. Will you just simply come as you are and “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved?”

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Throughout 2024, every Monday morning by 7:00 AM, we will post a new video from Pastor Shane or an article written by a member of our staff that connects to that month's featured promise. Learn more.