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John 3 16
Well …
Correct translation
Thus God loved the kosmos , once in the past, by the act of giving His only begotten Son, in the death and in the resurrection of the cross, so that those who believe and keep on believing will not be destroyed (by God), but have everlasting life.
This is HOW the love of God saves us, not WHY it saves.
John 3 16 does not give us the REASON of salvation but the MECHANISM of salvation. God did not send His Son because He loved all humans personally and individually. He sent His Son as an act of love to the whole kosmos by which certain people, who comply with the terms on conditions, will be saved.
Many believe that John 3 16 is the quintessential truth in scripture, and that it teaches sentimental affection and intimacy for all human beings including Hitler and Stalin.
Also included in this affection is Esua (despite the fact that scripture states the opposite).
An analyses of the text is quite a surprise.
The word translated “SO” does NOT mean “soo very much” as is commonly assumed.
That word, which is translated “so” is the Greek word Houtos.
It is also the first word in John 3 16 in the original text.
Houtos is the first word in the verse and that indicates the purpose of the verse.
John 3 16 is NOT a statement about universal love but indeed about the SPECIFIC NATURE of God’s love for the world (kosmos).
- “Thus God loved the world”
- “In this manner God loved the world”
What manner?? This manner!!
“By giving His son in death on the cross so that those who believe will have everlasting life.”
John 3 16 does not show that God has intimate affection for the disobedient, but rather that the nature of God’s love is a filter. Only those who believe benefit.
John 3 16. In this manner God loved the kosmos once in the past, by giving His only begotten Son on the cross, so that those who believe and keep on believing will inherent eternal life and not be destroyed.
Thus God loved the kosmos by making crucifixion available in His Son, so that those who keep faith to the end will escape the second death
PS the act of love is the cross and it is a “once for all” act of God in the historic past. The faith we need to have is ongoing and MUST be kept until the end.
