The most taught scripture in Sunday Schools, Bible Clubs, and VBS's around the world has to be John 3:16. Every kid who attends church between the ages of 5 and 12 have learned this verse. Yet, it puzzles me that despite all the memorization very few people truly believe what it says...
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. - John 3:16-18 (The Message Version)
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. - John 3:16-18 (The Message Version)
Does that really say that God loves the world? Because if it does that would be a pretty liberal statement. The truth is that God truly does love the world; so much that He gave His Son over to death and punishment for it. It seems like all we have done in Sunday Schools is taught kids the importance of memorizing scripture, but not imparting the revelation behind the words they are reading. We must take time to let the word develop in us and allow Holy Spirit to reveal truth to us. This verese makes is it so clear that God loves the world and made a way to have the world despite all the wickedness and sin. God sees past the sin and sees the treasure within every man woman and child on the planet. Sin isn't an issue for God becaus He dealt with the sin of the entire earth when He crushed His Son on Calvary.
Still so many voices out there that have grown up in churches all over the world memorizing scripture know John 3:16 by heart, yet they still proclaim that the world deserves judgement for it's sin and wickedness. They release prophetic words of doom and destruction and call it the discipline of God. When in truth Jesus took all punishment for the sins of the world. Every person on the planet is covered in the blood of Jesus...just not all of them know it yet. Beloved it's time we seek revelation on the way God loves the people of the world, and we share the message of hope and salvation. No more judgment talks and scaring people out of hell and into heaven. Lets preach love, and watch as the enter into a relationship with God through love and appreciation. Lets preach the truth of John 3:16
GRACE!!!
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