How God (once) Loved the World...Love pt 6

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)

Why is it that Jesus, in John 3:16, doesn’t say that “God Loves the World…”, rather, even the English version of the Bible (rightly) speaks of God’s love in the past tense…? “For God so Loved the World…”.

Obviously the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified as a sacrifice for our sins, and resurrected, is still being offered to the World, so yes it is legitimate to say that God loves the World. Whosoever (in this world) believes on Him, will not perish, but will have “Everlasting Life. What a gift of Love”! What mercy and grace on undeserving sinners and enemies! Of course God loves the World.

What is the point then in referring to the Love of God in the past tense in John 3 ?

The Word “Loved…” is a verb here, Jesus is telling Nicodemus, that “God loved the World…”as a one time action in History.

When did God Love the World? When He sent His monogenes, “only Unique Son” into the World in order to purchase our salvation. That was the time that “God loved the World…”. There will never be another time like it, it was a “once and for all event”, God Loved the World then and there.

You can contrast that “one time act of Love” with the word “Believeth…” in John 3:16. ‘Believeth…’ is also a verb but the Greek tense of that verb is continuous perfect. This is why the word is usually translated in English, “Believeth” or “Believes”. “Whosoever believes on Him…” implies a current, ongoing action.

“…Whosoever goes on believing in Him…” would be a valid rendering of this verse. God only had to “love the World” once, in order to save sinners, but sinners must believe in the gospel and go on believing in it, in order to be saved. When Christ died for sins once and for all, He provided mercy and salvation for whoever in this sinful and cursed world would receive it, to this very day. I would call that “amazing Love”

God’s love for this world was revealed Once, and only in that one act; ie the incarnation and life and death and resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus is the location of any Love God has for the World, and no where else. There will not be anything else, for there can be nothing greater! Only in Jesus and his life, death and sacrifice, can the Love of God be experienced by anyone in this world.

God has no ongoing love relationship with this world. The truth is God hates the World also . He is not impressed with it’s “accomplishments”, nor it’s faux compassion, ‘moral progress, ‘evolution’ , nor even it’s religion. The World hates God, and it also hates Jesus Christ, and would create a Millenium without them.

“The Kings of the earth and their rulers take council together against the LORD and His Messiah…” (Psalm 2)

But inspire of all of that, God has once Loved the World, and that Love is still operative, in Jesus.

This World is under wrath, God’s attitude towards it is uncompromising, the sentence of destruction revealed in the book of Revelation is soon to be executed. The World will not be reformed or even repaired, there is only that one way out…the cross of Jesus is where God has loved the World.

The Love of God revealed in Jesus is a special and unique kind of Love. It is Agape, the Love of the Will and of Action.

The infinitely Holy and Righteous God has not seen anything attractive or desirable, let alone lovable in those of us He has called out of the World.

Rather it was His sheer compassion, and mercy which has compelled him to send His Son into the world, and to seek and to save the rebels who had done nothing but spurn Him. He saw our need and did something about it. Love is seeking someone else’s good. God never needed us, but we needed to be rescued by Him.

Does God Love the World? Of course He does, but only through Calvary does He love the World.

It might be pointed out that the moment in which this all encompassing love was extended is summed up by what happened when they handed Christ the scroll to read, in Isaiah, and He read to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, stopping and handing back the scroll BEFORE it continued to proclaim “the day of vengeance of our God”.

Traditionally, if I’ve been informed correctly, they would read the whole citation ... no wonder all eyes were on Him as He sat back down.

He then said “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

We now live in the days of that favorable year because of what Christ has done.

But that doesn’t mean the rest of the passage is never going to happen. Personally I think it possible that for some the favorable year may even include the three days after the two witnesses are slain and while they are put on display before the whole world to see (literally fulfillable with TV and now video streaming too) and these, if the possibility turns out to be a fact, will be the very last people who ever could or would respond to Christ will finally hear the call and respond.

(I’m only pointing out the possibility here, nothing more.)

But for those who steadfastly refuse to heed the call there is a day for them that the favorable year ends when they are not ready for it to end ... and that for many individuals that day when it ends has already personally ended for them even if the door still remains open for others still living.

Repent for the Kingdom is STILL at hand. Do not be like the scoffers who went to destruction before you but turn and be saved. As it says, while it is still called today.

An old joke:

Once there was a minister who decided one fine Sunday morning that the next week he should break with the lecture series and give a one off sermon on being the Lord’s co-laborer.

Unfortunately the handouts for the next week were already ordered and printing so he had to put it off a week and with that put off writing the lesson as well. Likewise he would have to wait ANOTHER week because the coming handouts also announced the week next’s sermon. So two weeks, 14 days.

But come the Monday before that lesson he sat down eager to write ... but for the life of him he couldn’t remember what it was ... and now he was committed. Severe writers block took him through walking out the trash cans at home that Friday morning.

Once at the office and now in a panic he fell to his knees to pray.

And nothing,

On Saturday he fell on his knees to pray again, crying as he prayed, and confessing his pride and arrogance and now was he ever in for it. After hours of this he got up, sat at his Mac, and started writing.

He wrote almost unconsciously. A few read throughs and he found every typo ... there hadn’t been many. He was convinced it was amazing and so, it being late, he checked to see if everyone else was gone.

Then he had his Mac read back the text to him ... I said it was an old joke and recall text to speech used to be whizz bang neat-o ... anyhoo, the Mac read back the text and the minister was amazed, it wasn’t just good but it was great, one to stand the test of time! He told himself he never knew he had such a sermon in him.

Then the Mac stopped speaking ... after a few moments of silence it’s digitizatal voice rang out again: “I did that?” it crowed, “Wow am I great or what?”

The minister was flabbergasted.

“How can you take credit for what I wrote?” he demanded at the box of circuits.

Then there’s was a suffuse light and a voice from anywhere and everywhere saying: “You know, I was wondering the same thing....”

Moral: when it just happens and it’s in accord to scripture don’t be too impressed with yourself.

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