Whosoever (continually) Believes in Him...John 3 pt 13

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. (John 3:16)

The third chapter of John allows us to overhear a conversation between Nicodemus, the chief rabbi of Israel, and Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was not trained in the recognized rabbinic schools, but approved of God by signs and wonders as well as by the irrefutable doctrine he taught. Nicodemus came to him, and spoke for other leading rabbis when he acknowledged that Jesus had come from God.

Here at this point in the discussion, at John 3:16, Jesus is teaching Nicodemus, (and us) how it is that God could righteously give we sinners a new birth. God so loved the world that He gave His monogenes,only unique Son, as a sin offering… . God made a righteous way to grant new life to unrighteous men and women, Jesus paid the price for us.

John 3:16 is a much beloved verse of the Bible, perhaps the single most translated prose ever written. But it’s very familiarity sometimes has the effect on people that they assume that they already “know it”. But the Bible is alive and there is always more light, and helpful enrichment in every verse of scripture.

For example consider the phrase “whosoever believes in Him”. As in the story of the brass serpent lifted up on the pole, anyone who looks up in faith to the “only begotten Son” hanging on the tree will not perish but have everlasting life, (ie be born again). Not just a particular group, but all who hear the gospel and look believingly onto Jesus…shall have life.

David Pawson, the man I mentioned earlier who wrote an insightful book about John 3:16* makes the point that the word “believes’ is in the present continuous tense.The greek language has more tenses than the English language. (I am no greek scholar, mind you, but I can read the work of others).

The present continuous tense doesn’t often translate into the English, because we don’t have one. For example, in Jesus’ teaching on prayer, Luke 11:9-10 quotes him as saying,

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Luke 11:9-10)

But those verbs are in the present continuous tense, they literally say “Ask and Keep on Asking, Seek and Keep on finding, knock and keep on knocking, for every one who asks and keeps on asking recieves…”. knowing the tense clears up a lot of misunderstandings.

Another example is from First John 2:15, which says Love not the World nor the things of the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him…”. But because the word ‘Love’, agape, is in the present continuous tense, it could just as easily read,

“Don’t go on loving the world, nor go on loving the things of the world…”

The word ‘believes’, is also in the present continuous tense, John 3:16 could just as well be understood to say, For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, so that whosoever goes on believing in Him, might not perish but shall have everlasting life.

Interestingly enough, Pawson points out that the love God loved the world with, is in the Aorist tense, which means that He did it once, God (once) thus loved the world…, when did God love the world? When Jesus died on the cross. The cross is the only possible meeting place between a Holy God and sinful men.

God doesn’t have a broad and ongoing relationship with the World, approving of this “good”aspect, but disapproving of that “bad”one, yet ever hoping for improvement. The Holy God has announced that as of the cross, the world is under judgment, the sentence is passed and his attitude towards it is utterly unrelenting, the world is doomed.

Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.(John 12:31-32)

But “Once” and with perfect and ongoing effect, God Loved the World…by giving sinful men a way out of their dilemma, through the cross of Jesus.

But the word ‘Believes’ is present continuous tense. We are to “go on believing in Jesus” that we might ever have “eternal life”.

There are many who are so confused about this that they claim that a person could so backslide that they renounce Jesus entirely and die in their sins, but they suppose that they will be allowed into heaven, because at one point, somewhere along the line, they “believed in Jesus unto salvation”. This false doctrine flies in the face of much of scripture however, for example,

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister(Colossians 1:21-23)

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain(I Corinthians 15:1-2)

All that Jesus requires is that we believe in Him, and that we maintain faith in Jesus. But faith isn’t static, it is an ongoing dependency, an ‘abiding’ in Jesus, a constant feeding on his finished work, his person, eating and drinking his words.This is the only true ‘personal relationship’ with God.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.(John 15:1-4)

It’s not “everlasting” if you can lose it.
We haven’t “been perfected forever” if we can become imperfect.
Paul said “Nothing in Life and nothing in death....can separate us from the love of God.”
Jesus said I will not drive them from me. And the Prophet Joel, said we would never leave.

And somewhere in the new testament it talks about some people who left the church as proof that they "were never" one of us.

In other words, a true believer, someone who put their trust in Jesus, doesn't need to be scared that someday they will lose their faith. It can't happen.

Scripture also talks about a carnal christian whose works are burned yet he is saved though as a man running from a house on fire.

"exactly, you can choose to reject the gift of salvation, a lot of folks dont get that..."

Once you've been adopted by the Father, he doesn't disown you. You can choose the gift of chastisement if you are disobedient. But there is no divorce court that you can disown your heavenly father once you have claimed His promise to you.

He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it.

"exactly, you can choose to reject the gift of salvation, a lot of folks dont get that..."

He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it.

Good point Danny, you are referring to I john 2:18-19 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Perhaps we can say that that is the mark of a true believer, they will never stop believing in Him. The worst problem we have these days is people falsely converted, and given false assurance by an inadequate preaching of the gospel. That is the reason for teachings such as mine on John 3. Thanks for the comments

I agree with DannyTN on this matter...and perhaps go beyond what he agrees with on the matter you addressed. Jesus clearly sets out (John 6), if you are in God’s crosshairs, you cannot resist His rescue of your soul. Nor will you want to.

And, if we are rescued “forever”, this must mean “forever”. Those leaving were never born from above, but were “wanna bes” unknown to Jesus.

Do you not believe that there is such a thing as apostasy? Or Reprobation? What about 2 peter 2:20-21

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.?????

is this insinuating that a person can stop believing?

Is this insinuating that a person can believe, receive Christ’s spirit by faith and salvation along with that, and at some later date, stop believing?

If a Person receives Christ’s spirit by faith, and they stop believing, do they lose Christ’s spirit?

Please defend your answer with Scripture

i>"Perhaps we can say that that is the mark of a true believer, they will never stop believing in Him. The worst problem we have these days is people falsely converted, and given false assurance by an inadequate preaching of the gospel."

I agree with that. I grew up in a church that constantly preached grace. And when I was about 20 this 70 year old woman stood up and said "I get it now". This woman had been in the church as long as I can remember, and was a hard worker in the church. I think she had been there at least 50 years. She sat through the same sermons I sat through, but somehow it just didn't sink in that it was grace not works. I'm glad it finally got through to her.

If that can happen in a church that constantly preaches grace, how much more does it happen in churches that either through traditions or through fads, or simply unfocused preaching does not dwell on grace.

Do you mean this article? There is no insinuation, I am only saying that true faith is continuous, not static. The Bible never says that if you believe in Jesus at any one point in your life, you are saved, regardless of whether or not you later defected. A true believer, will always believe, or should he defect he will return to that belief.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.(Hebrews 6:4-6)

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.(Hebrews 10:24-27)

remember though, we are Kept by the power of God, not our faith or works

we are SEALED until our redemption

It looks like your article claims that a man can lose his salvation

Is that one of your points?

Thanks Race. There is not a hint of works salvation in my article,is there? Because certainly I do not believe we can be saved or kept by anything but the power and grace of God. Salvation is His all the way through.

As for “losing” salvation, no, I don’t believe one can “lose salvation” as they lose keys or lose anything valuable.
But I do believe that there is a real warning of apostasy in scripture, that is real people, who start out with faith in the gospel, but who reject faith for whatever reason. Else why the warnings in Hebrews 6 qnd 10?

Perhpas the greaest problem in our day is that many are not even saved and yet led to think they are. Jesus wanred us this would be the case. All I am seeking to do in this series is underscore he true nature of saving faith. Thanks for your comments, Race.

In what possible sense would it have been "better not to have known the way of righteousness..."? For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Ten virgins had oil and their lamps burning. Five made sure they didn’t run out of oil. Five didn’t ‘endure to the end’.

The seven churches in Rev; ALL are told: He that overcometh.

The little word ‘if’ is all over the epistles.

The ‘saved, regardless of faithfulness’ attitude is why divorce is rampant among people claiming Christianity. And most of the mainstream denominations now have nearly empty churches on Sunday morning. At least around these parts.

God is faithful and keeps his promises; man chooses to be faithful, but does reverse his decision and walk away from God. (like Demas)

I think there are two questions inherent in your post:

Is everyone who thinks they are saved, saved? Or can some be wrong and/or delude themselves?

Does everyone who believes always believe or do some later reject this belief?

There are obvious answers to these questions and your scriptural references and others deal with them as well.

Please defend your answer with Scripture

Romans 11:20,21 "Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either."

John 15:6 "If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned."

Remaining in Christ is by faith, demonstrated by bearing fruit of the Spirit, especially love (chief of the three that remain of faith, hope, love).

Keep in mind that while nothing in all creation will separate us from the love of Christ, remember that God is not created and therefore outside the scope of Romans 8:38,39. He retains the right to not spare whichever branches He determines are unbelieving. Thus Paul's admonishment "do not be arrogant but be afraid".

If we continue with the same attitude as Christ (Phil 2:5) remaining humble, we will work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

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