Based on John 3:16-21 (New King James Version)
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
I know that John 3:16 is probably the most widely known verse of the Bible in all the world. You can many times see the signs in the stadium stands at an American football game. And I think it’s so popular because it talks about God’s great love. God loves the world, and He gave His only begotten son, Jesus, so that everyone could have the opportunity to be saved. If we take some time to meditate on what God’s love means, it would be a never-ending thought. For example, God, the Creator of heaven and earth cared for us, and He gave what was most loved and precious to Him, so that we could have eternal life. And He did not have to do it. He sent His Son to pay for our sins, for our wrongs, to take our place on the cross. And going even deeper, if we see things clearly, God sent His Son to die for His enemies, because if we have not given our lives to Him, then we belong to someone else, to Satan. We are children of darkness because of the sins we have committed, because of being born in a world of sin, being conceived in sin. Since birth, we were foreign to all of God’s promises. We didn’t deserve anything. I know it is difficult to accept this, but it’s the Truth. So then, if we see it that way, we can see even more God’s love, Someone who died for the salvation of His enemies, to convert His enemies into children of God, children of light. That’s why it is so important for us to give God our lives, so that we can leave behind the darkness, and belong to Him.
God wants for everyone, no matter what they have done or been, to come to the knowledge of the Truth. This fact shows His great and profound love. For it is written: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4. So then, there is no one that can say that God does not love them. He loves the entire world, without exceptions.
The issue is that everything is conditional with God. He will not force anyone. Everything is conditional because it is based on love, and love is based on choice. God chose to love the world. He didn’t have to love the world. But He chose to. In the same manner, belonging to Him is also a choice, based on faith and love. And what needs to be kept clear is that each choice has consequences. That’s the way the universe was established, and there is nothing that can be done about it. So then, it’s not God that condemns a person to hell when they don’t want to believe in Jesus, but rather, the person condemns themselves by not laying hold to the gift of salvation. This is a universal law: “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5. If a person chooses to believe in and accept Jesus as the Lord of their life, then they make God the owner of their life. If a person does not choose to believe and accept Jesus as the Lord of their life, then they are continuing with their original master, and they will condemn themselves to an eternal death. It’s your decision! Try to see things logically. If a person does not want to be with God, nor obey Him, then why would God go against their own will and desire, forcing them to be with Him for an eternity? And of course, God allows that the fruits and desires of each person come upon them, for good or evil, for it is written: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10. A person will receive what they ultimately desire within themselves. And God has already taken care of this through the universal structure that He created way before the foundation of this world.
And finally, we will explain what the light of God is about. We all come from darkness. It’s just a fact. But within the power of choice, we can decide to leave the darkness through Christ. When He presents His light through His Word and through His call to follow Him, we have the option to come to the Light of God. So then, if there is someone that wants to be freed from the darkness, they can be free, if they decide to belong to God. What is necessary is to accept that we have done wrong, that we have sinned, and that we want to leave that evil behind, to leave sin behind, for it is written: “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:5-10. If we are honest with ourselves, before God, we have forgiveness and salvation. He is so good that He makes all things new for those that love Him and look for Him. And if we follow Him faithfully, He transforms us into light. He told us that we would be the light of the world. For it is written: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15. He transforms us into light through Jesus, so we can be light to others that the need the Light of God. That’s how we see the continuity of God’s love, from person to person, from generation to generation.
So then, have you understood the love God has for you, by looking to be part of His light for the world that surrounds you? Lord bless! John