John 3:16-17
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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Mystery solved! The seed of Eve mentioned in Genesis 3:15 is God’s son, Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully human, whom God sent to die on behalf of all of humanity’s sins (past, present and future). When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He was offering Himself as the final and ultimate sacrifice for the sins of humans past, present and future (bruised heel). When Jesus Christ rose from the dead, His resurrection defeated the power of death over humanity for all eternity (bruising the serpent, the enemy). By dying, rising from the dead, and appearing to His disciples to declare salvation unto them, Jesus made a way when there was no way – for humanity to choose to have faith in God’s plan to save us from eternal condemnation through our belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The world was already condemned, as we read in Genesis 3, but God sent Jesus to die and and rise again- a resurrected King whom we can choose to believe in and be saved from condemnation.
Many people erroneously believe that whoever preaches the Gospel to them is condemning them, but the reality is that human beings already stand condemned, as reflected by our sin nature (the inability to do all the good all the time). Verse 17 of thus states that Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world, because the world already stood condemned since the disobedient and faithless decisions made in Genesis 3. Here, God the Father is fulfilling His unique and very improbable (by human wisdom) plan to save humanity from condemnation through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Father, Son, Holy Spirit – how do all three fit in the plan for the salvation of our souls? Let’s look at John 14 and what Jesus states about being God and what that means in terms of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit:
“14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. (John 14, KJV)“
Jesus states through John chapter 14 that God Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are inexplicably interlinked and affirm each other, to make an intimate and personal relationship (abode) with those who chose to believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again on that third day. Moreover, Jesus states that any who come to Him will not be turned away (John 6:37), and affirms that truly, HE is the only way to entering into right relationship with God that remedies the broken one described in Genesis 3.
Let us examine another instance in the Bible, the Passover, when people were asked to believe in God’s seemingly strange way of doing things (such as the case described here of God raising Jesus from the dead to take away our sins and have restored relationship with him). The header on the bright yellow card is up next:
One Reply on “John 3:16-17”
Thanks for post and I have just re-shared it on my Facebook wall for God’s Glory. Jesus Christ is Lord & of all ~.