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.
读经：“神爱世人，甚至将祂的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生。”（约3：16）
这是一节极重要的经文，或者说，是全福音要旨的浓缩。许多人读了这一节经文，因信得救了；也有许多基督徒因这节经文，不只靠主站稳，更是一直向上长进，这节经文把福与祸、生与死给人选择，这是圣经的中心。马丁路德称之为“小型福音”。
或者有人说，这节经文我早就背诵如流，有什么特别呢？这节经文我一看就懂，有什么奥秘呢？是的，初信的人早就把这节经文背得滚瓜烂熟，连许多基督徒小孩子也会背会唱，有什么希奇呢？原来这节经文很容易懂，但也很深奥，包含极丰富的真理，于我们一生效用不浅。但愿我们都能背诵这节经文，能一生作个荣耀神的基督徒。
我们还盼望各位朋友，能因这本小册子认识真神、相信耶稣基督，以至得救、永远得救!
耶稣在2000多年前从天上降世为人，祂30岁出来传道3年，最后为我们的罪死在十字架上。约翰福音第3章是讲祂第一年出来传道的事，那时祂在耶路撒冷过逾越节。第3：1－15是耶稣对一位犹太人的官尼哥底母讲论“重生之道”，从第16－21节是约翰的解说。有人认为16节以后都是耶稣讲的话，我们说，耶稣与尼哥底母只谈到第15节，以后是约翰的解说，因为耶稣总是称神为父，除了祂在十字架上代表全人类（罪人）呼求神（太27：46）之外，耶稣总是称神为父的。但16节开头就说“神”爱世人，所以这几节不是耶稣直接说的。
一、神爱世人的原因
这节经文的开头，原文有“因为”二字，“因为神爱世人”。这是与上文重生之道有关的。我们要了解永生，必须先了解重生。
重生，“重”者再也，“生”者生也，重生就是再生一次，但不是“再进母腹生出来”（3：4），而是圣灵生我们。父母只生我们的肉身，但圣灵是要把我们已死的灵复活过来，这是圣灵生我们；得永生是重生的人得着神所赐的生命。这两方面是一而二、二而一的。我们怎样能重生呢？必须相信耶稣基督。
二、神爱世人
为什么不称“父爱世人”呢？原来世人都是罪人，神不能是罪人的父亲，神是耶稣的父亲，祂也是以色列一国之父，但神却是每一个信徒的父亲，“因此我们呼叫阿爸！父！”（罗8：15，加4：6）
有人根据“浪子回家”的比喻，说，“神是浪子的父”，显明祂是世人的“父”。但浪子不是代表世人，而是代表信徒，因为他是从父家出去的（路15：13）。他在远方浪荡，有用人给他传福音，他也会“醒悟过来”，知道父家“口粮有余”（17节）。试问一个未信的人会不会知道父家“口粮有余”呢？原来浪子是基督徒，不是世人。浪子回家是指爱了世界的基督徒醒悟回转，得到父亲大爱的收纳。
父神不是世人的父亲，所以这节经文不是说“父爱世人”，而是说“神爱世人”。
三、 圣经肯定有神
这节经文不是向世人证明有神，而是肯定宇宙间有真神，这位真神是爱世人的。
圣经的开头就肯定有神：“起初神创造天地”（创1：1）。约翰福音也是一本讲生命的书，开头也肯定有神：“太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。”（约1：1，3：16）也是这样肯定有神，不但有神，而且“神爱世人”。
有没有神这个大问题，本来就不用讨论。因为当我们看见万物的存在和奇妙就应该相信有神。万物的来源和奇妙，绝不会是自然的。我们看见房屋就知道有工程师、建筑师。如果有人说：“请你把工程师给我看，我才相信这所房子是有人设计的。”这岂不是见笑于人吗？当我们看见汽车，就当相信有发明者，因为汽车的本身和奇妙就说明有人发明和制造的。
有没有神，不用看宇宙万物，单看看太阳、地球和月亮，你就应当相信有神了。如果没有神创造太阳，太阳能自动运转吗？太阳能发热和发光吗？这是绝对不可能的。有人计算，如果把地球所有的燃料拿到太阳，只能维持一个多小时就烧光了。虽然太阳有氢原子与氦原子，能长期大量地供应能源，但谁供应那么多的原子，以维持几十亿年至100亿年的燃烧呢？你的煤气炉，没有人加添煤气，煤气炉没有煤气，能一直燃烧不停吗？绝对不可能。小小的煤气炉尚且不可能，比地球大130万倍的太阳，没有神的创造和供给燃料，就自然能存在和发热发光吗？我们不用证明有神，只要看看太阳就应该相信有神。
再说地球，是谁创造地球的呢？是演变而来的吗？地球绕着太阳转是自然惯性吗？谁叫它转得这么奇妙呢？有人计算，如果地球每日运转慢一秒钟，不用说50亿年，只说6000年，每日转慢一秒钟，现在每日就不是24小时，而是624个小时，我们能活吗？谁使地球每日准确地绕太阳转呢？没有神，它就会这样吗？
地球有水，奇妙不奇妙？其它星球没有水，水星也没有水。如果地球没有水，人畜都活不了，植物也不能生长。谁创造水，把水放在地球上为世人所用？没有神能有水吗？原来神爱世人，祂把水放在地球上，我们要“饮水思源”，源头是神，不是河的尽头，也不是人。
地球有空气，月球没有空气。人到月球要带氧气，所以不能把人类迁到月球上居住。一天没有水、两天没有水，人还可以活，但半个小时没有空气，人畜都不能活，谁造空气呢？就是爱世人的神。神使地球（和各星球）有引力，把空气吸紧，如果地球没有吸力，空气早就跑光了，这一切的奇妙，没有神，可能吗？所以看见万物就应当相信神的存在：“自从造天地以来，神的永能和神性是明明可知的，虽是眼不能见，但藉着所造之物，就可以晓得，叫人无可推诿。”（罗1：20） 这节经文的意思，不只说明天地万物的存在证明有神，更因天地万物的奇妙就能叫人知道神的“永能”和“神性”。神的存在是肯定的，本来就不用证明。天地万物的奇妙更能证明神是大能的、神是全能的、神是“永能”的；天地万物的存在又能说明神的“神性”，祂就是神、是至圣的神、是公义的神、是慈爱的神。如果我们看见天地万物的存在和奇妙，还不相信有神，这是极愚蠢的，所以圣经说：“……愚顽人心里说：‘没有神……’。”（诗14：1）
圣经不和我们辩论有没有神，只说“神爱世人”，我们应当相信有神，更应当相信这位真神是全能的、是公义的、是至圣的和慈爱的。
四、这样爱
“神爱世人”，原文是“因为神这样爱世界”，注意“这样爱”，英译 thus 或 so，这样爱、如此爱、甚爱。神怎样爱？如此爱。有什么表现呢？神不只是给世人各样的福气，最重要的是给人永生：“叫一切信祂的都得永生。”（约3：15）
神怎样爱世人？是用最高超的爱来爱世人，原文是agapao“阿加怕奥”，这不是友谊的爱，也不是情欲的爱，而是神爱耶稣的爱，是高超的爱。耶稣问彼得说，“你爱我比这些更深吗”？（约21：15）耶稣是要求彼得要用“阿加怕奥”的爱来爱祂，但彼得的回答只是“主啊，是的，祢知道我爱祢”，他所用的爱，原文是phileo“非罗”，次等的爱。耶稣第二次又用“阿加怕奥”的爱来要求彼得，但彼得在第二次的回答还是用“非罗”的爱来爱祂（约21：16）。神不是用“非罗”的爱来爱世人，而是用“阿加怕奥”、最高超的爱来爱世人。神是爱的源头，祂的爱是无条件的、舍己的爱，神用这样的爱来爱保罗、爱约翰，不奇怪，神用这样的爱来爱基督徒也不奇怪，但神竟用这最高超的爱来爱罪人、爱顶撞祂的人，这就叫我们惊讶、叫我们测不透！祂用这样的爱来爱所有的人：“惟有基督在我们还作罪人的时候为我们死，神的爱（阿加怕奥）就在此向我们显明了。”（罗5：8）“神差祂独生子到世间来，使我们藉着祂得生，神爱（阿加怕奥）我们的心，在此就显明了”（约壹4：9），为什么神用“阿加怕奥”的爱来爱世人呢？原来神造人的时候，“乃是照着祂的形像造男造女”的（创1：26－27），所以神这样爱我们、那么爱我们、甚爱我们。没有神的爱就没有福音。
五、世界中的世人
“世人”，原文作“世界”Kosmos，英译 For God soloved the world.
神创造了宇宙万物，在亿万个星球中，祂单单爱上了地球。地球有什么值得祂爱呢？地球是个很小的星球，它既不是太阳系的中心，也不是这个银河系的中心，更不是宇宙的中心，为什么神这样“阿加怕奥”世界呢？圣经叫我们不要爱世界，为什么神自己又要爱世界呢？原来神叫我们不要爱世界的假乐、更不要爱世界的罪恶，而神爱世界，主要是因为世界有照着神形象样式造的人。我们爱世界是“贪爱”世界，但神是这样“阿加怕奥”世界上的人。我们爱世界是要“得”世界，而神爱世界是要“给”独生子来救人。这是“阿加怕奥”的爱。
以色列一直是神所拣选的选民。耶稣出来传道时是对以色列人的：“耶稣说；‘我奉差遣，不过是到以色列家迷失的羊那里去。’”（太15：24） 耶稣差遣十二个门徒先传福音，也是“宁可往以色列家迷失的羊那里去”（太10：6）。
神最先爱以色列民，这是尼哥底母清楚知道的。但是，耶稣被钉、死而复活，不只为以色列人，更是扩张到全球——神爱“世人”，这是尼哥底母无法了解的新道。符类福音，特别是马太福音是对犹太人说的，但约翰福音就普及全世界了，约翰福音3：16，不是“神爱以色列”，而是神爱“世人”，叫凡信祂的都得永生。这是对全人类的福音。
神怎样显明祂对全人类的爱呢？祂把独生子耶稣基督赐下给世人，叫凡信靠祂的都必得救。
神有个独生子，就是主耶稣基督，祂在天上与神同等，祂就是神：“太初有道（耶稣），道与神同在，道就是神。”（约1：1） 祂什么时候才有的呢？“太初”，就是无限期的，祂与父神是无始无终的。
耶稣从亘古就有，但为什么祂是神的独生子，而不是神的“独子”呢？到底祂在什么时候“生”的呢？是不是2000年前生的呢？祂从天上降世为人，被马利亚生出。但这里不是说“马利亚的独生子”，而是“神的”独生子，到底神在什么时候生耶稣呢？圣经说是有个日期的：“受膏者（基督）说，我要传圣旨。耶和华曾对我说：‘祢是我的儿子，我今日生祢’，”（诗2：7） 这里只说“今日”，到底是哪一日的“今日”呢？使徒行传给我们解释，这是指耶稣复活的“今日”说的：“神已经向我们这作儿女的应验，叫耶稣复活了，正如诗篇第2篇上记着说，‘祢是我的儿子，我今日生祢。’”（徒13：33）这里的意思是耶稣复活的“今日”，是应验了诗篇第2篇的话。在旧约时，耶稣是神的“独子”，但旧约有预言和预表耶稣在复活的那一天，就成了神的“独生子”。这个“生”，是复活的生、是不再死的生、是活生生的生。
神把一位死而复活、活到永远的独生子赐给全人类。这是最大的礼物。礼物是恩典。神的礼物是丰富、是最大的礼物，就是耶稣自己。
神赐独生子到世上，目的是要作成救赎之工，耶稣不是到世上旅游也不是到世上来享福；祂到世上受苦，最终是要被钉在十字架上，作成救工，有如亚伯拉罕献上独生子以撒一样（创22：16）。如果耶稣到世上不是为作救赎之功，祂可不用被“赐下”。
救恩不是世人可以作的，我们不能自救；救恩是基督作成的，但基督必须被钉死才能赎我们的罪，所以祂要被“赐下”。
耶稣不到世上来就不能被钉，祂不被钉就无法赎罪；祂不复活，一切就都是假的，是假的就不是大礼物，所以赐下独生子就是福音。
耶稣基督的被赐下，为要作成救赎之工，这是神的爱。如果神不爱我们，祂就不赐下独生子给我们了。同时，耶稣不钉十字架就不能代赎，没有代赎，赦罪就没有公义。有了耶稣的代赎，这就显明神是公义的。耶稣钉十字架，是神的慈爱，又是神的公义。神为了公义与慈爱，就要赐下独生子来。
一、罪人无法自救，只有信
各宗教都是靠修行得救，但神不是叫人苦修、积德。世上没有义人，人的义不过是一件破烂的衣服。人的一切好处都是从肉体来的，未信耶稣的人没有永生，没有新生命的人，就只靠肉体行善，但神是不喜欢属肉体的：“而且属肉体的人不能得神的喜欢。”（罗8：8）未得救的人，怎能靠肉体行善以讨神的喜欢，来赎自已的罪呢？绝对不能。
神知道人无法自救，所以祂为人设立一个救赎的方法——赐下独生子，基督耶稣作成救赎之工，使凡信祂的人都必得救。但我们怎样才是真信呢？
这里的“信”字，原文是“信入”，英文译作believe in，有时译作 believe on，这是“信靠”。
单信有一位神不得救：“你信神只有一位，你信的不错；鬼魔也信，却是战惊。”（雅2：19）这里的信，原文没有“入”字，就是信有一位神。这样的信，鬼也信，但不得救。
我们不单相信有一位神，我们更要“信靠”神，才能得救。例如：你相信火车能到北京，也买了票，但不进入火车里，这样信不是信入，不入就是不靠，不靠就与你无关。火车开了，你只见火车开，但你不能到北京，因为你没有入火车里，没有靠火车。我们信神就要信靠祂，祂赐独生子救你，你不靠祂，只靠自已的行为，这是不得救的，所以我们必须信入基督里，靠祂的宝血，罪就得赦。
信也是接受：“凡接待祂的，就是信（靠）祂名的人，祂就赐他们权柄，作神的儿女。”（约1：12）这里“接待”，原文是“接受”；“接待”是暂时的，“接受”是永远的；“接待”是把主当作客人，“接受”是把主当作主人；接受，是把基督接进我们里面。信靠，是我们信入基督里面，我在祂里面，祂在我里面，打成一片，这就得救。
但在信靠之前是要为我们的罪忧伤，有忧伤的信心，就是得救的信心（见路加7：36－50）。没有为罪难过的信是假信的。
真信的信心是会产生行为的：“……惟独使人生发仁爱的信心，才有功效。”（加5：6，参约壹5：1）我们不是靠行为得救，但真信就会产生好的行为。不生发仁爱的信心是假信心，这当然不得救。
二、信靠谁呢
约翰福音3：16开头就说“神爱世人”，所以我们必须信靠真神；再次是神赐下独生子，所以我们又要信靠基督耶稣，这节经文的前面是说圣灵重生我们，所以我们又要信靠圣灵。“叫一切信祂的”的“祂”，是指主耶稣，但主耶稣是父赐下的，耶稣有圣灵在祂里面，所以信祂就是信靠三一真神，这样，我们就必得救。
谁信靠，谁就得救，没有例外，叫“一切”信靠祂的，都必得救。
一、“灭亡”二字，原文是appollumi，是永远受刑罚的意思
有人说，“灭亡就是永远停止活动，再没有知觉，也就是‘人死如灯灭’的意思。”不，这不是圣经说灭亡的意思，“灭亡”，原文不是失去知觉或停止知觉的意思。肉身的死是细胞停止活动，再没有知觉了。但肉身死后，灵魂要受第二次的死，这灭亡二字，与马可福音2：22“坏了”、路加福音15：4，6“迷失”相同，就是永远受刑罚的意思。
二、不信的人就要永死，永死就是要到火湖里永远被火烧
死，就是与神隔绝，永远在火湖里受痛苦。神不在火里，所以是与神隔绝。
有人认为神很残忍，把人永远丢在火湖里受痛苦。但神给我们在世上几十年，在几十年里给我们预先警告，祂又呼唤人来得永生，这是神的慈爱。我们拒绝神的爱，是自取灭亡，绝不能说神是残忍。
三、“不至灭亡”就是得救的意思
自亚当犯罪后，凡真心信靠的人都是因信得救的。旧约的人是因信得救，新约的人也是因信得救的。“叫一切信（靠）祂的，不至灭亡。”也可以说“叫一切信（靠）祂的，就必得救。”
上文说“不至灭亡”，就是得救，为什么又说“反得永生”呢？得救岂不是得永生吗？为什么这样重复呢？
原来这是一件事的两方面：得救是不灭亡；得永生是不灭亡的人又得耶稣复活的生命。首先让我们看看旧约对永生的说法。
一、旧约有“永生神”
“凡属血气的，曾有何人听见永生神的声音从火中出来，像我们听见，还能存活呢？”（申5：26）“……竟敢向永生神的军队骂阵么？”（撒上17：26）“永生神”原文是“活的神”，英文译作 the living God，当然，神的生命是永远的，说“永生神”也是对的。这是神的永生。
亚当没有吃生命果，所以他没有永生。旧约的人，凡信的都是因信得救，但不是立即得永生，旧约只预言人要因信得救。反得永生：“又好比黑门的甘露，降在锡安山，因为在那里有耶和华所命定的福，就是永远的生命。”（诗133：3）“睡在尘埃中的，必有多人复醒。其中有得永生的，有受羞辱永远被憎恶的。”（但12：2）这节经文是预言七年大灾难（大艰难，第1节）有人复活得永生。诗篇139：24“引导我走永生的道路”，原文作“永远的道路”。传道书3：11“又将永生安置在世人心里”，“永生”，原文作“永远”，见小字。神不会将永生放在世人心里，只把永生的思想放在世人心里，使他们知道有永远的永生或永死。上面几节经文的“永生”是预言他们要得永生；也有些经文提到永远，不是指永生，所以旧约信的人不是在信的时候就有永生。
二、旧约得救的人，不是立即得永生
凡信靠耶和华神的人就不至灭亡，但他们不是立即得永生，因为旧约没有重生之道，他们只因信得救，但他们要死后才得永生。这永生比我们所得的永生次一等，只是“补救”的永生。他们是因信得救。但如果他们最后不相信，死后就不给永生，他们还是要灭亡的；如果他们坚持到底，他们就要在死后得补救的永生。
三、恩典时代信的人，反得永生
现在是恩典时代，凡信靠祂的人，不只“不至灭亡”，更是“反得永生”。旧约的人是死后才得永生，但我们现在相信，现在就“不至灭亡，反得永生。”
凡得了永生的人，才会“知道自己有永生”（约壹5：13），许多人说“我们现在不能知道自己有没有永生，要到死后，耶稣说我们有就有，祂不给就没有。”这是旧约，我们在新约，特别是圣灵降临之后，教会时期的人，都是现在信就现在得；现在得就知道。知道什么？知道自己不至灭亡，知道自己有永生，这就是“反得永生”。
四、永 生
到底永生是什么意思呢？永生不只是永远活着。秦始皇要求长生不老，这“长生不老”不是我们所得的永生。就算能长生不老，活到今天，他也没有我们所得的永生。如果人人都长生不老，那么现在全世界都成了“老人世界”了。但这是不可能的。动物的生命最多是100岁；植物的生命最长也不过是几千年；人的生命就“七十古来稀。”百岁老人，千万人中有几人!
世人只有长命百岁，绝对没有永生。永生，不只是永远活着，而是得一个永远的“生命”。永生的生，不是生活的生，而是生命的生。永生就是永远的生命，原文是aionios，这是神自己的生命：“他们心地昏昧，与神所赐的生命隔绝了……。”（弗4：18）“神所赐的生命”，原文是“神的生命”，没有“所赐”二字。不信的人是与神的生命隔绝了，但我们信靠祂的人，就要得着神的生命，这就是永生。这生命也在基督的身上：“耶稣说：‘我就是道路、真理、生命……。’”（约14：6）“生命在祂里头，这生命就是人的光。”（约1：4）“这见证在祂儿子里面”（约壹5：11），这生命是基督的生命，又是基督复活的生命。耶稣在世上说这话的时候，祂未死而复活。但祂说，凡信靠祂的人，祂就要给他们这复活、不再死的生命，活到永永远远的生命，这就是永生。重生，是圣灵把我们已死的灵复活过来；得永生，是基督把祂复活的生命分给我们。这生命是无罪、无病，是永远不死，直活到永远。要得永生，必须信靠“独生子”，圣灵就重生了我们；既重生，就立即得着基督复活的生命了。
五、信的人就是神的儿子
“但记这些事，要叫你们信耶稣是基督，是神的儿子，并且叫你们信了祂，就可以因祂的名得生命。”（约20：31）我们信，就是神的儿子，又得了神自己的生命，也就是基督的生命。所以我们说，现在信的人，现在就得永生：“信子的人有永生；不信子的人得不着永生，神的震怒常在他身上。”（约3：36）“我实实在在的告诉你们，那听我话，又信差我来者的，就有永生，不至于定罪，是已经出死入生了。”（约5：24）“我实实在在的告诉你们，信的人有永生”（约6：47）。
六、这是好的礼物
世界上一切的东西都要朽坏的，都要过去的，人送给我们最好的礼物都不能存到永远，惟有神所赐给我们的是最好的：“……惟有神的恩赐，在我们的主基督耶稣里，乃是永生。”（罗6：23）
平时我们听惯了“永生”，总不觉得宝贵。但当我们明白了这永生就是神的生命，神儿子的生命，是永远不死的生命，是没有疾病、没有痛苦，更是充满喜乐的生命，我们何等高兴呢？原来神不惜一切，把祂怀里最爱的独生子赐给凡信靠祂的人，为使他们都得这最好的永生。这永生，不只是量的长久，更是质的丰盛。我们再也找不到这样宝贵的生命呢！
七、尝到永生与享受永生
现在我们可以尝到这生命的滋味，但将来才能完全享受。生命在我们里头起了极大的作用，这生命是不会犯罪的，只能活出基督的样式。当我们的旧人要犯罪时，这生命是要阻止我们犯罪；如果我们犯了罪，这生命就会忧伤，使我们悔改，这是永生的活力。这种活力就在我们信的人里面起作用，所以说，我们现在可以预尝永生的滋味，直到我们离世归父，我们才能真正享受这永生。
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朋友，你要不要这最大的礼物呢？如果有人送给你宝贵的礼物，你不要，你不会有什么损失；但如果你不要神这份礼物，你就要灭亡。
约翰福音3：16未提审判，只说“反得永生”，到第18节就提定罪了：“信祂的人，不被定罪；不信的人，罪已经定了，因为他不信神独生子的名。”因为我们都是罪人，是被定罪的。我们不信神儿子就无法自救、无法自赎，只得“定罪”，定罪就要在地狱里永远受痛苦!
约翰福音3：16是一节极重要的经节，对世人、对信徒都是极宝贵的。世人因着神所赐的独生子作成救赎的工作，藉着信就得拯救，不至灭亡，反得永生。信徒从这节经文可以看出神高超的爱，使我们不只“不至灭亡”，更使我们认识一个人从得救的时候开始，就有了永生，有了永生的人是没有理由再灭亡的，这是一次得救永远得救的保证。如果得救后又会灭亡，就不是神高超的爱，这生命又不能称“永生”。只好叫“暂生”罢了。但神的应许是叫“一切信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生。”愿颂赞、荣耀、尊贵全归给三一真神，直到永远，阿们!
一九九四年三月一日
亲爱的朋友，你愿意决心相信耶稣吗？下面给你一些祷告的提示：
“亲爱的父神，我从心里承认祢是独一的真神。祢曾差耶稣基督降世为人，为罪人作成救赎之功。我承认自己是个罪人，需要祢的救恩。我坚心信靠耶稣钉十字架、死而复活。现在我恳求神将耶稣复活的生命赐给我，使我不至灭亡，反得永生。我愿一生跟从与顺服三一真神！
奉主耶稣名求，阿们！
Reading: "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
This is a very important verse, or rather, it is the condensed essence of the whole Gospel. Many people have been saved by faith after reading this verse; there are also many Christians who not only rely on the Lord to stand firm because of this verse, but also keep growing upwards. Man chooses, and that is at the heart of the Bible. Martin Luther called it a "mini-gospel."
Or some people say, I have recited this scripture fluently long ago, so what’s so special about it? I can understand this verse at a glance. What is the mystery? Yes, new believers have already memorized this verse by heart, and even many Christian children can memorize it and sing it. Why is it any wonder? It turns out that this scripture is easy to understand, but it is also very profound. It contains a wealth of truths, and it has a lot of effect in our lives. May we all recite this verse and be God-honoring Christians all our lives.
We also hope that all friends can know the true God and believe in Jesus Christ through this booklet, so that they will be saved and saved forever!
Jesus descended from heaven to man more than 2,000 years ago. He came out to preach for 3 years at the age of 30, and finally died on the cross for our sins. Chapter 3 of John's Gospel is about his first year out to preach, when he celebrated the Passover in Jerusalem. Section 3:1-15 is Jesus' speech to Nicodemus, a Jewish officer, on "the way of regeneration", and from Section 16-21 is John's explanation. Some people think that everything after verse 16 is what Jesus said. Let’s say that Jesus and Nicodemus only talked about verse 15, and then John’s explanation, because Jesus always called God Father, except that He represented all mankind on the cross In addition to (sinners) calling on God (Matthew 27:46), Jesus always called God Father. But at the beginning of verse 16, it says that "God" loves the world, so these verses are not directly spoken by Jesus.
1. The reason why God loves the world
At the beginning of this verse, there is the word "because" in the original text, "because God so loved the world". This is related to the way of rebirth above. To understand eternal life, we must first understand regeneration.
Rebirth, "heavy" means no longer, "born" means rebirth, but it is not "re-entering the mother's womb to be born" (3:4), but the Holy Spirit begets us. Parents only give birth to our physical body, but the Holy Spirit wants to resurrect our dead spirit. This is the Holy Spirit giving birth to us; to gain eternal life means that the regenerated person receives the life given by God. These two aspects are one and two, two and one. How can we be born again? One must believe in Jesus Christ.
2. God loves the world
Why not say "Father loves the world"? It turns out that all people in the world are sinners, and God cannot be the father of sinners. God is the father of Jesus, and He is also the father of the nation of Israel, but God is the father of every believer. "Therefore we cry Abba! Father!" (Romans 8: 15, plus 4:6)
Based on the parable of "the prodigal son coming home", some people say, "God is the father of the prodigal son", which shows that He is the "Father" of the world. But the prodigal son does not represent the world, but the believers, because he is from the father's house (Luke 15:13). He is wandering far away, and he has someone to preach the gospel to him, and he will "wake up" and know that his father's house "has more than enough food" (v. 17). How can an unbeliever know that his father’s family “has more than enough food”? It turned out that the prodigal son was a Christian, not a man of the world. The return of the prodigal son means that Christians who have loved the world come to their senses and turn around, and are accepted by their father with great love.
God the Father is not the father of the world, so this verse does not say "the Father loves the world", but "God loves the world".
3. The Bible definitely has a God
This verse is not to prove to the world that there is a God, but to affirm that there is a true God in the universe, and this true God loves the world.
God is affirmed at the beginning of the Bible: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). The Gospel of John is also a book about life, and there must be God at the beginning: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1, 3:16). God, and "God so loved the world."
There is no need to discuss the big question of whether there is a God. Because when we see the existence and wonder of all things, we should believe in God. The origin and wonder of all things can never be natural. When we see a house, we know that there are engineers and architects. Wouldn't it be ridiculous if someone said, "Please show me the engineer, so I don't believe this house was designed." When we see a car, we should believe that there is an inventor, because the car itself and its wonder show that someone invented and manufactured it.
Whether there is a god, you don’t need to look at everything in the universe, just look at the sun, the earth and the moon, and you should believe that there is a god. If God did not create the sun, does the sun work automatically? Does the sun heat and shine? This is absolutely impossible. Some people have calculated that if all the fuel on the earth was taken to the sun, it would only last for more than an hour before it would be burned up. Although the sun has hydrogen atoms and helium atoms, it can supply a large amount of energy for a long time, but who supplies so many atoms to maintain the burning for billions to 10 billion years? Your gas stove, no one adds gas, and the gas stove has no gas, can it keep burning? Absolutely impossible. It is impossible for a small gas stove, and the sun, which is 1.3 million times larger than the earth, can exist and glow naturally without God's creation and fuel supply? We don't need to prove that there is a God, we just need to look at the sun to believe in God.
Besides the earth, who created the earth? Did it evolve? Is it natural inertia for the earth to revolve around the sun? Who told it to turn so wonderfully? Someone calculates that if the earth rotates one second slower every day, not to mention 5 billion years, but only 6000 years, if the rotation slows down by one second every day, now there are not 24 hours in a day, but 624 hours, can we live? ? Who makes the earth revolve around the sun exactly every day? Would it be like this without God?
Isn't it amazing that the earth has water? Other planets have no water, and neither does Mercury. If there is no water on the earth, humans and animals cannot live, and plants cannot grow. Who created water and put it on the earth for the world to use? Can there be water without God? It turns out that God loves the world, He put water on the earth, we should "drink water and think of the source", the source is God, not the end of the river, nor man.
The earth has air, the moon has no air. People need to bring oxygen to the moon, so humans cannot be moved to live on the moon. People can live without water for one day or two days without water, but neither humans nor animals can live without air for half an hour. Who made air? He is the God who loves the world. God made the earth (and the planets) have gravity, sucking the air tightly. If the earth had no gravity, the air would have run away long ago. All these are wonderful, without God, is it possible? Therefore, seeing all things, one should believe in the existence of God: "Since the creation of the world, God's eternal power and divinity have been clearly seen. prevaricate.” (Romans 1:20) The meaning of this verse not only shows that the existence of the heavens and the earth proves that there is a God, but also that the wonders of the heavens and the earth enable people to know God’s “eternal power” and “divinity.” The existence of God is certain, and there is no need to prove it. The wonder of the heaven and earth can further prove that God is powerful, God is omnipotent, and God is "eternal"; the existence of the heaven and earth can also explain the "divinity" of God. He is a righteous God and a merciful God. If we see the existence and wonder of the heavens and the earth and all things, it is extremely foolish not to believe in God, so the Bible says: "...the fool says in his heart: 'There is no God...'" (Psalm 14:1)
The Bible does not debate with us whether there is a God, but only says that “God so loved the world.” We should believe that there is a God, and more importantly, we should believe that this true God is almighty, just, holy, and merciful.
4. Love like this
"God so loved the world", the original text is "because God loves the world so much", pay attention to "love like this", English translation thus or so, love like this, love like this, love so much. How does God love? so much love. What is the performance? God not only gives people all kinds of blessings, but the most important thing is to give people eternal life: "so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." (John 3:15)
How does God love the world? It is to love the world with the highest love. The original text is agapao. Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me more than these?" (John 21:15) Jesus asked Peter to love Him with the love of "Agaphobia", but Peter's answer was only "Lord, yes, You know that I love You", the love he used, the original text is phileo "Phileo", inferior love. Jesus asked Peter for the second time with the love of "Agaphobia", but Peter's answer for the second time was to love Him with the love of "Philos" (John 21:16). God does not love the world with the love of "Philos", but loves the world with the love of "Agaphobia", the highest love. God is the source of love, and His love is unconditional and self-sacrificing love. It is not surprising that God used this kind of love to love Paul and John, and it is not surprising that God used this kind of love to love Christians. This supreme love loves sinners and those who contradict Him, which amazes us and makes us incomprehensible! He loves all people with such a love: "But in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, in which the love of God (Agape) was manifested to us." (Romans 5:8)" God sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him, and God’s love (Agape) for us is manifested here” (1 John 4:9), why God used “Agape” "Love to love the world? It turns out that when God created man, he "created him male and female in his image" (Genesis 1:26-27), so God loves us so much, so much, and so much. There is no gospel without the love of God.
5. People in the world
"世界人", the original text is "World" Kosmos, and the English translation is For God soloved the world.
God created everything in the universe, and among billions of planets, He fell in love with the earth alone. What is there on earth worthy of His love? The earth is a very small planet, and it is neither the center of the solar system, nor the center of the Milky Way, nor the center of the universe. Why is God such an "Agaphoa" world? The Bible tells us not to love the world, so why does God Himself love the world? It turns out that God tells us not to love the false pleasures of the world, let alone love the sins of the world, but God loves the world mainly because there are people in the world created in the image of God. We love the world as "craving" the world, but God is such a person in the "Agaphobia" world. We love the world in order to "get" the world, but God loves the world in order to "give" the only begotten Son to save people. This is the love of "Agapao".
Israel has always been God's chosen people. When Jesus came out to preach to the Israelites: "Jesus said: 'I was sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'" (Matthew 15:24) Jesus sent twelve disciples to preach the gospel first, and " Rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6).
God loved Israel first, as Nicodemus knew very well. However, Jesus was crucified, died and resurrected, not only for the Israelites, but also spread to the whole world - God loves "the world", this is a new way that Nicodemus could not understand. The Synoptic Gospels, especially the Gospel of Matthew, were spoken to the Jews, but the Gospel of John spread to the whole world, John 3:16, it is not that "God loved Israel", but that God loved "the world", so that whoever believes in Him All have eternal life. This is good news for all mankind.
How does God demonstrate His love for all mankind? He gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to the world, so that whoever believes in him will be saved.
God has an only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is equal to God in heaven, and He is God: "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) some? "In the beginning" means indefinite, He and the Father are without beginning and without end.
Jesus has existed since ancient times, but why is He the only begotten Son of God instead of the "only Son" of God? When exactly was He "born"? Was it born before 2000? He came down from heaven as a man and was born of Mary. But here we are not talking about "the only begotten son of Mary", but the only begotten son of "God". When did God give birth to Jesus? The Bible says that there is a date: "The anointed (Christ) said, I will preach a decree. The Lord once said to me: 'You are my Son, today I have begot you'," (Psalm 2:7) here only Speaking of "today", which day is "today"? Acts of the Apostles explains to us that this refers to the "today" of Jesus' resurrection: "God has fulfilled it to us as children by raising Jesus up, just as it is written in Psalm 2, 'You are my Son, today I begot you.'" (Acts 13:33) This means "today" when Jesus was resurrected, which fulfills the words of Psalm 2. In the Old Testament, Jesus was the "only begotten son" of God, but the Old Testament prophesied and foreshadowed that Jesus would become God's "only begotten son" on the day of resurrection. This "life" is the resurrection life, the life that will never die, and the living life.
God gave to all mankind an only begotten Son who died and rose again and lived forever. This is the greatest gift. Gifts are grace. God's gift is rich, the greatest gift, which is Jesus Himself.
God gave the only begotten Son to the world for the purpose of accomplishing the work of redemption. Jesus did not come to the world to travel or to enjoy the blessings; He came to the world to suffer, and in the end he was to be crucified on the cross to accomplish the work of salvation, just like Abraham offered his only son Isaac same (Genesis 22:16). If Jesus had not come into the world for redemptive purposes, He would not have been "given".
Salvation cannot be done by the world, and we cannot save ourselves; salvation is accomplished by Christ, but Christ must be crucified to redeem our sins, so He must be "given".
Jesus could not be crucified until he came to the world, and he would not be able to redeem sins unless he was crucified; if he does not resurrect, everything will be false, and if it is false, it is not a great gift, so giving the only begotten son is the gospel.
It is the love of God that Jesus Christ was given to accomplish the work of redemption. If God didn't love us, He wouldn't have given us His only begotten Son. At the same time, without the crucifixion of Jesus, there would be no substitutionary redemption, and without substitutionary redemption, there would be no righteousness in the forgiveness of sins. With the substitutionary redemption of Jesus, this shows that God is righteous. The crucifixion of Jesus is God's mercy and God's justice. For the sake of justice and mercy, God wanted to give his only begotten Son.
1. Sinners cannot save themselves, only faith
All religions rely on practice for salvation, but God does not tell people to practice hard work and accumulate virtue. There is no righteous person in the world, and human righteousness is but a rag. All the benefits of man come from the flesh. Those who do not believe in Jesus have no eternal life, and those who do not have a new life only rely on the flesh to do good. But God does not like the flesh: "And people who are in the flesh cannot gain God. to please God.” (Romans 8:8) How can an unsaved person rely on the flesh to do good to please God and to atone for his own sins? Absolutely not.
God knows that man cannot save himself, so He set up a redemption method for man—giving his only begotten Son, Christ Jesus, to accomplish the work of redemption, so that all who believe in Him will be saved. But how do we truly believe?
The word "信" here is "信入" in the original text, translated as "believe in" in English, and sometimes translated as "believe on", which means "trust."
Belief in only one God will not save you: "You believe in one God, and you believe well; the devil also believes, but trembles." (James 2:19) The letter here does not have the word "enter" in the original text, that is, Believe that there is a God. Even ghosts believe in this kind of belief, but they cannot be saved.
We not only believe that there is a God, but we must "trust" God in order to be saved. For example: You believe that the train can go to Beijing, and you bought a ticket, but you don’t get on the train. When the train leaves, you can only see the train moving, but you cannot reach Beijing because you have not entered the train or leaned on the train. If we believe in God, we must trust Him. He gave his only begotten Son to save you. If you don’t rely on Him, you can only rely on your own behavior. This is not saved. Therefore, we must believe in Christ, and by His precious blood, sins will be forgiven. .
Faith is also acceptance: "To those who received him, to those who believed (in) his name, he gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12) The original word for "receive" here is "receive"; " To receive" is temporary, but to "accept" is eternal; to "receive" is to treat the Lord as a guest, and to "receive" is to treat the Lord as a host; to receive is to receive Christ into us. Trust means that we believe into Christ, I am in Him, and He is in me. If we become one, we are saved.
But sorrow for our sins precedes trust, and sorrowful faith is saving faith (see Luke 7:36-50). Faith that is not sorry for sin is false.
Faith that truly believes will produce actions: "...only faith that works on love will be effective." (Gal. 5:6, see 1 John 5:1) We are not saved by works, but true faith will produce good. the behavior of. Faith that does not work by love is false faith, and of course it cannot be saved.
2. Who do you trust?
The beginning of John 3:16 says "God so loved the world", so we must trust in the true God; thirdly, God gave the only begotten Son, so we have to trust in Christ Jesus. The front of this verse says that the Holy Spirit regenerates us, so We must trust the Holy Spirit. The "He" in "that everyone who believes in Him" refers to the Lord Jesus, but the Lord Jesus was given by the Father, and Jesus has the Holy Spirit in Him, so to believe in Him is to trust in the Triune God, and in this way, we will be saved.
Whoever believes is saved, without exception, so that "all" who believe in Him will be saved.
1. The word "destroyed", the original text is appollumi, which means eternal punishment
Some people say, "To perish is to cease to be active forever, and to be unconscious again, which means 'a person dies like a lamp going out'." No, this is not what the Bible says perishes, "perishes" does not mean to lose consciousness or stop consciousness . Physical death is the cessation of cell activity and no consciousness anymore. But after the death of the body, the soul will suffer the second death. The word "destruction" is the same as "broken" in Mark 2:22 and "lost" in Luke 15:4, 6, which means eternal punishment .
2. Those who do not believe will die forever, and eternal death means going to the lake of fire to be burned forever
To die is to be separated from God and to suffer forever in the lake of fire. God is not in the fire, so there is separation from God.
Some people think that God is cruel and throws people into the lake of fire forever to suffer. But God gave us decades to live in this world, and in those decades God gave us a forewarning, and He called people to come to eternal life. This is God’s mercy. When we reject God's love, we are destroying ourselves. We must never say that God is cruel.
3. "I shall not perish" means to be saved
Since Adam sinned, all those who truly believe are saved by faith. People in the Old Testament are saved by faith, and people in the New Testament are also saved by faith. "That whoever believes (trusts) in him shall not perish." It can also be said "that whoever believes (trusts) in him shall be saved."
It is said above that "you will not perish" is salvation, why do you say "you will have eternal life"? Doesn't salvation mean eternal life? Why repeat it like this?
It turns out that these are two aspects of the same thing: to be saved means not to perish; to gain eternal life is to gain the resurrection life of Jesus. Let's look first at what the Old Testament says about eternal life.
1. The Old Testament has a "living God"
"Has any flesh and blood heard the voice of the living God coming out of the fire, as we have heard, and lived?" (Deuteronomy 5:26) "...Dare to insult the army of the living God?" (1 Samuel 17:26) The original text of "Eternal God" is "the living God", and the English translation is the living God. Of course, God's life is eternal, so it is correct to say "Eternal God". This is the eternal life of God.
Adam did not eat the fruit of life, so he did not have eternal life. In the Old Testament, everyone who believed was saved by faith, but did not immediately receive eternal life. The Old Testament only predicted that people would be saved by faith. But have eternal life: "It is like the dew of Hermon, which fell on Mount Zion, because there is the blessing that the Lord has commanded, that is, eternal life." (Psalm 133:3) "There will be many who sleep in the dust. People will wake up. Some of them will have eternal life, and some will be disgraced and hated forever.” (Dan 12:2) This verse is prophesying the seven-year tribulation (big tribulation, verse 1) and some people will be resurrected to eternal life. Psalm 139:24 "Lead me in the way of eternal life", the original text is "the way of everlasting". Ecclesiastes 3:11 "and has placed eternal life in the hearts of the world", "eternal life", the original text is "forever", see small print. God will not put eternal life in the hearts of the world, but only put the thought of eternal life in the hearts of the world, so that they know that there is eternal life or eternal death. The "eternal life" in the above verses is prophesying that they will have eternal life; there are also some verses that mention eternity, but not eternal life, so believers in the Old Testament did not have eternal life when they believed.
2. Those who were saved in the Old Testament did not immediately gain eternal life
Those who believe in Jehovah God will not perish, but they will not have eternal life immediately, because there is no way of rebirth in the Old Testament, they are saved only by faith, but they will have eternal life after death. This eternal life is inferior to the eternal life we have received, and is only a "remedial" eternal life. They are saved by faith. But if they do not believe in the end, they will not be given eternal life after death, and they will still perish; if they persevere to the end, they will receive redeemed eternal life after death.
3. Those who believe in the Age of Grace will have eternal life
Now is the age of grace, and those who trust in Him will not only "not perish", but also "have eternal life". People in the Old Testament had eternal life after death, but we now believe that we will "not perish but have eternal life."
Only those who have gained eternal life will "know that they have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). Many people say, "We cannot know whether we have eternal life now. After death, Jesus said that we have eternal life, but He will not give it to us." No.” This is the Old Testament. In the New Testament, especially after the coming of the Holy Spirit, people in the church age believe now and then receive it; now we have it and then we know it. what do you know? To know that you shall not perish, and that you have eternal life, is to "have eternal life."
4. Immortality
What does eternal life mean? Immortality is not just living forever. Qin Shihuang asked for immortality, and this "immortality" is not the eternal life we get. Even if he could live forever, he still doesn't have the eternal life we have. If everyone lived forever, the whole world would be an "old man's world". But this is impossible. The life of an animal is at most 100 years old; the longest life of a plant is only a few thousand years;
People in the world can only live a hundred years, and there is absolutely no eternal life. Eternal life is not just living forever, but having an eternal "life". The life of eternal life is not the life of life, but the life of life. Eternal life is eternal life, the original text is aionios, this is the life of God himself: "Their minds are darkened, and they are separated from the life that God gives..." (Ephesians 4:18) "The life that God gives", the original text It is "the life of God", without the word "given". Those who do not believe are cut off from the life of God, but we who believe in Him will have the life of God, which is eternal life. This life is also in Christ: "Jesus said: 'I am the way, the truth, and the life...'" (John 14:6) "Life was in him, and this life was the light of men." (John 1:4 ) "This testimony is in His Son" (1 John 5:11), this life is the life of Christ and the life of Christ's resurrection. When Jesus spoke these words on earth, He was alive and alive. But he said that to those who believe in him, he will give them this resurrection, life that never dies, life that lives forever and ever, and this is eternal life. Rebirth is the Holy Spirit resurrecting our dead spirit; eternal life is Christ imparting His resurrection life to us. This life is sinless, disease-free, immortal, and lives forever. To gain eternal life, we must trust in the "only begotten Son", and the Holy Spirit regenerates us; once regenerated, we immediately receive the resurrection life of Christ.
5. He who believes is the son of God
"But these things are written, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing in him may have life in his name" (John 20:31). We believe that we are the Son of God, He also received the life of God Himself, which is the life of Christ. That's why we say that whoever believes now will have eternal life: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not believe in the Son will not have eternal life, but the wrath of God remains on him." (John 3:36) "I, truly, I tell you, whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has passed from death to life." (John 5:24) "I tell you the truth, whoever believes have eternal life” (John 6:47).
6. This is a good gift
Everything in this world will perish and pass away. The best gifts that man gives us cannot last forever. Only what God gives us is the best: "...only the gifts of God can last forever. but eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
Usually we are used to hearing "eternal life", and we don't think it is precious. But when we understand that this eternal life is the life of God, the life of the Son of God, a life that never dies, a life that is free from sickness and pain, and is full of joy, how happy are we? It turns out that God spared no effort to give His only begotten Son, the most beloved in His bosom, to all those who trust in Him, so that they can all have the best eternal life. This eternal life is not only long in quantity, but also abundant in quality. We will never find such a precious life again!
7. Taste and enjoy eternal life
We can have a taste of this life now, but we will not fully enjoy it until later. Life plays a great role in us. This life cannot sin, but can only live out the likeness of Christ. When our old man is going to sin, this life is to keep us from sinning; if we sin, this life will grieve us and make us repent, which is the vitality of eternal life. This kind of vitality works in us who believe. Therefore, we can now have a foretaste of eternal life, and we will not truly enjoy this eternal life until we leave this world and return to the Father.
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Friends, do you want this biggest gift? If someone gives you a precious gift and you don't want it, you lose nothing; but if you don't want God's gift, you perish.
John 3:16 does not mention judgment, but only says "you have eternal life", and it mentions condemnation in verse 18: "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned; but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he did not believe in the only begotten Son of God name.” For we are all sinners, condemned. If we don’t believe in the Son of God, we can’t save ourselves, we can’t redeem ourselves, we have to be “condemned”, and if we are condemned, we will suffer forever in hell!
John 3:16 is a very important verse, both to the world and to believers. Because of the work of redemption done by the only begotten Son given by God, people in the world will be saved through faith, and will not perish, but have eternal life. From this verse, believers can see that God’s superb love not only keeps us from perishing, but also enables us to know that a person has eternal life from the moment he is saved, and those who have eternal life have no reason to perish , which is a guarantee of once saved forever. If you perish after being saved, it is not God’s superlative love, and this life cannot be called “eternal life.” It has to be called "temporary life". But God’s promise is that “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” May praise, glory, and honor be given to the Triune God forever, amen!
March 1, 1994
Dear friend, are you willing to resolve to believe in Jesus? Here are some prayer tips for you:
"Dear Father God, I confess from my heart that You are the only true God. You sent Jesus Christ to be a man to redeem sinners. I admit that I am a sinner and need Your salvation. I firmly believe Jesus was crucified, died and resurrected. Now I beg God to give me the resurrection life of Jesus, so that I will not perish, but have eternal life. I would like to follow and obey the Trinity God all my life!
In the name of the Lord Jesus, amen!
