John 3:16

1. John 3:16 “The Golden Text of the Bible”

2. John 3:16 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.

3. Introduction - John 3:16 • One of many powerful texts of the Bible! • Genesis 1:1 - • “In the beginning” - TIME • “God” -FORCE • “Created” - ACTION • “the heaven” - SPACE • “and the earth.” - MATTER • Matt. 22:36-40; Eph. 4:4-6 • John 3:16 is called the “golden text of the Bible.” • Ps. 19:7-10; 119:72, 127; Pr. 8:10-12, 19; 16:16 • The scope of this lesson will cover: • False teaching refuted by John 3:16 • Great things declared in John 3:16! Five Fundamental Facts of Science!

4. False Teaching Refuted by John 3:16

5. All isms Refuted By This Verse • Denominationalism • Atheism • Calvinism • Unitarianism • Agnosticism Don’t Believe ANY isms! – Colossians 2:8

6. What is an “ism”? • A distinctive doctrine, system, or theory: “Formalism, by being an ‘ism,’ kills form by hugging it to death” • Dictionary.com • 1 : a distinctive doctrine, cause, or theory2 : an oppressive and especially discriminatory attitude or belief: “we all have got to come to grips with our isms.” • Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

7. Denominationalism • Denominationalism is the division of a religion into separate religious denominations. The term is particularly used in reference to the various Protestant schools of thought. Such as: • The Pentecostals • The Baptists • The Lutherans • The Methodists • The Presbyterians • The Seventh Day Adventists • TheMormons • TheJehovah’s Witnesses “Christianity” or “Christendom” Denominational creeds allege that Christ died that God might love us. The Bible teaches that Jesus came to the earth and made salvation possible because God loved us (Rom. 5:8, 9).

8. John 3:16 Defeats Atheism • “For God” • Atheism: • 1.the doctrine or belief that there is no God. 2. disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings. [Origin: 1580–90; < Gk áthe(os) godless + -ism] • Dictionary.com • The scriptures declare that God is: • Word “God” is found in 26 of the 31 verses of Genesis 1! • Rom. 1:20 • Found in 7 of the 21 verses of Revelation 22! • Christ is declared in Revelation 22:21, the last verse of the Bible! • The “Alpha and Omega” - Rev. 1:8, 11; 21:6; 22:13; Isa. 44:6; 48:12

9. John 3:16 Defeats Calvinism • Calvinism: the theological system of (John) Calvinand his followers marked by strong emphasis on the sovereignty of God, the depravity of humankind, and the doctrine of predestination. • TULIP Doctrine: • Total Depravity - All babies are born into the world destined for hell. Inherit the sin of Adam. • Unconditional Election - God had a predetermined master list of the saved before creation. This list cannot be changed. • Limited Atonement - Christ did not die for all men but only those on the “saved list.” • Irresistible Grace - God sends the Holy Spirit only those on the “saved list.” • Perseverance of the Saints - A child of God once saved, cannot be lost.

10. Tulip Doctrine Defeated By Scripture • Total Inherited Depravity: • Ezek. 18:20; Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10; Jn. 5:28-29 • Unconditional Election: • Eph. 1:3-6; Rom. 8:29-30; Acts 10:34-35 • Limited Atonement: • Jn. 3:16; Heb. 2:9; 1 Tim. 2:3-6; 2 Pet. 3:9 • Irresistible Grace: • Gospel Saves - Rom. 1:15-17; 1 Cor. 4:15; 15:1-4; Jas. 1:18-21; 1 Pet. 1:23-25 • One may resist - 2 Thess. 1:7-9; 2:13-14 • Perseverance of the Saints: • Jn. 15:1-7; 1 Cor. 10:12; Gal. 5:4; 2 Pet. 1:10; Heb. 3:12-14 " that whosoever believeth in him should not perishthat whosoever believeth in him should not perish “…that whosoever believeth should not perish…”

11. Unitarianism • Historic Unitarianism believed in the oneness of Godand not the Christian doctrine of the triune nature of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as Deity. Unitarians are characterized by some as being identified through history as free thinkers and dissenters, evolving their beliefs in the direction of rationalism and humanism. • Father, Son & Holy Spirit are separate personalities of Deity • God sent the Son – Jn. 3:17 • The scriptures defeat this false doctrine: • Matt. 3:13-17; Jn. 14:16, 26; 15:26; 1 Jn. 5:6-8; Acts 5:1-4

12. Agnosticism • Agnostic - 1: a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (as God) is unknown and probably unknowable; broadly: one who is not committed to believing in either the existence or the nonexistence of God or a god. • Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary • The scriptures defeat this false idea: • Rom. 1:16-21; Acts 17:23-31; 1 Cor. 1:9-16; Ps. 33:4-8; 95:1-6; 104:1-5; Isa. 40:28; 42:5; Eccl. 12:1; Rev. 4:11

13. Great Things Declared in John 3:16

14. John 3:16 Declares… • The greatest Power! • “For God…” • Jer. 32:17-18; Ex. 32:11; Jer. 51:15; Matt. 6:13; 9:1-6; 10:1; 22:29; 24:30; 28:19; Acts 1:1-8; 4:33; Rom. 1:1-4, 16; 1 Cor. 1:18; 2:4-5 • God is declared as the greatest power! • Rom. 1:20; Rev. 4:11; Isa. 55:8-9

15. John 3:16 Declares… • The greatest Emotion! • “...so loved…” • 1 Jn. 3:16-17; 4:9; Eph. 2:1-7; 5:1-2; 1 Jn. 4:10-19; Rev. 1:5

16. John 3:16 Declares… • The greatest Measure! • “...the world…” • He Loved all sinners-Christ died for all sinners! • Not just those on the so called “saved list.” • Rom. 3:23; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15; Rom. 5:12-17; 1 Tim. 2:4-6; Acts 10:34, 35; Gal. 3:26-29; Eph. 2:11-16, 18, 19; 3:6

17. John 3:16 Declares… • The greatest Gift! • “...that He gave…” • God sent His Son to do the Father’s will: • Jn. 3:17; Acts 3:26; Heb. 1:1-3; 1 Jn. 4:10 • Christ did the Father’s will: • Jn. 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; 17:4; 19:30 • Christ was the Gift of God’s love: • Jn. 4:10; Acts 2:38; Rom. 5:15-18; Eph. 2:1-6; 1 Jn. 4:14

18. John 3:16 Declares… • The greatest Sacrifice! • “...His only begotten Son…” • Christ was the “lamb of God” • Jn. 1:29, 36; Heb. 7:24-27; 9:24-28; 10:1-10

19. John 3:16 Declares… • The greatest Invitation! • “...that whosoever believeth… • This refutes the “saved list” theory! • “Whosoever” - “all, any, every, the whole:--all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as,…whosoever” - Strong • Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 10:34-35; Gal. 3:26-28; Rev. 22:17; Matt. 11:28-30

20. John 3:16 Declares… • The greatest Blessings! • “...should not perish…” • Perish means eternal loss or well-being! • All spiritual blessings are “in Christ!” • Eph. 1:3 • Those who are not in Christ will perish! • 2 Pet. 2:12; 2 Thess. 1:7-9

21. All Spiritual Blessings In Christ Spiritual Blessings Remission of sins - Acts 2:38 Washing away sins - Acts 22:16 Blood of Christ - Rom. 6:3-4 Become a New Creature - Rom. 6:5 Put on Christ - Gal. 3:26-27 Sanctified - Eph. 5:26 Cleansing - Eph. 5:26 A Child Of God - Gal. 3:26-27 Enter the Kingdom - Jn. 3:4 A Good Conscience - 1 Pet 3:21 The Church (Body) - Acts 2:47 The Name of Christ - Acts 4:12 Salvation - Mk. 16:16 Alien Sinner Baptism Stands Between The Alien Sinner and All Spiritual Blessings! Baptism “all spiritual blessings…in Christ” - “baptized into Christ” (Eph. 1:3; Gal. 3:27)

22. John 3:16 Declares… • The greatest Reward! • “...but have everlasting life.” • The promise of eternal life is the ultimate spiritual blessing we seek: • Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim. 6:12, 19; Tit. 1:1-2; 3:7; 1 Jn. 2:25; 5:11-13, 20; Jude 21 • The “crown of life”: • 2 Tim. 4:6-8; 1 Cor. 9:25; Jas. 1:12; Phil. 3:13-14; 1 Pet. 5:4

23. Conclusion • John 3:16 declares: • The greatest Power- “For God…” • The greatest Emotion- “..so loved…” • The greatestMeasure- “…the world…” • The greatestGift- “…that He gave…” • The greatestSacrifice- “…His only begotten Son…” • The greatestInvitation- “…that whosoever believeth…” • The greatestBlessings- “…should not perish…” • The greatestReward- “…but have everlasting life.” Will you be a partaker of these great spiritual blessings provided by God’s Love?