Summary · Week 10
John 3:16–21 — For God So Loved the World
The motive is love. Not a love limited to Israel only. God loves the world. He gave His only Son. Whoever believes shall not perish. God did not send the Son to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever does not believe is condemned already. The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light.
For reflection
- Does considering the weight of your sin (and who you are sinning against) change your perspective on what Jesus came to do?
- “Condemned already.” What does it mean that unbelief is not waiting for a future verdict, but is already the default state?
- People loved the darkness rather than the light. Are there areas in your life where you still prefer the world’s approval of your sin over obedience to God?
- The shock is not only that anyone can be saved, but the paradigm shift in what God requires from us for salvation. How is belief different from works of the law?
- Christ offers himself as Savior now, but he will be our Judge later. What difference does that make in how you respond to him today?