John 3:16-17 (NLT) Part 1
"For God loved the world so much that He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16-17 is one of the most referenced passages of Scripture ever. In fact, it is literally known as "The Christian Motto." But what happens when you truly break down what John was saying, and then apply that to your life?
God is so many things to us: Father, Friend, Provider, Protector, and so much more! One of my favorite things about the Lord is how He is love. As a matter of fact, God loved you so much, He went to the extremes of giving up His one and only Son so that we could then choose to believe in Him, not have to die, but live eternally with Him. I know, that was a lot, so let me break it down a bit.
To give something away requires its total surrender. Imagine how much it took God to give up His one and only Son. In fact, think of it like this; a child is their parent's pride and joy, the sunshine to their world, their everything, even the love of their lives. That is what Jesus was to God, and yet, He still chose to give all that away for us. God did not think twice when it came down to choosing His Son or you. God loved, loves, and will continue to love you so much, and He wants you to know that! It is no surprise to see why the enemy loves to attack our views and perceptions on love. As humans living in a sinful world, it is easy to put our love in the wrong places when truly it belongs to God. If God loved you and me enough to the point of sacrificing His Son, just so we could spend eternity with Him, the least we can do is accept and believe that.
When God sent us Jesus, there was no guarantee all would choose Him. John tells us this at the beginning of this verse. Salvation is not just a choice, but it is also a gift. No one can force you to receive it, but the joy and freedom it brings may make you want to have it. As someone committed to this Gospel, I can assure you that there is no better option. Accepting this great gift from God gives us hope that says we will never die but live eternally. You see, the gift God is offering us to have is eternal, everlasting, undying the list goes on and on! The things this world will try to offer, are temporary. In reality, it is only a matter of time before these current trends and fads go, and new ones come in as replacements. What we believe are "gifts" from this world only bring us temporary satisfaction and fulfillment. Salvation isn't like that. It is by the saving grace of God, that we now hope for life evermore in Jesus, through Jesus, and with Jesus.
Prayer:
Father God,
I thank You for willingly sending Jesus to come atone for my sins. I thank You that I can choose to believe in Him, and have eternal life.Thank You for giving up that which You loved most, for me. Help me know how much You love me.
Amen
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