Originally posted: 10/31/2019
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life,” (3:16).
There is much debate about Who the Man Jesus Christ was. Many assert He was a prophet and others say He was merely a good teacher. But upon examining the things He said, both these options are unrealistic, for He said some pretty unbelievable things! What prophet or good teacher could say the things He said and expect His listeners to believe Him, let alone believe in Him?
In this chapter some form of the word believe is repeated eight times.
What is not up for debate in this chapter is this necessity, requirement, yes even demand, to believe.
Consider Him Who Must Be Believed
- He Must Be Believed… we must be born again; we must be born of the Spirit.
- Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” …Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit,” (3:3, 5-8).
- He Must Be Believed… He must be lifted up that we might have eternal life.
- “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life,” (3:12-15).
- He Must Be Believed… He is the only begotten Son given for our salvation.
- “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him,” (3:16-17).
- He Must Be Believed… unbelief results in God’s judgment.
- “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God,” (3:18).
- He Must Be Believed… He is the Light of the world.
- “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world,” (3:19).
- He Must Be Believed… loving the darkness is tantamount to hating Him, the Light.
- “…and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God,” (3:19-21).
- He Must Be Believed… the Son gives eternal life to all who believe.
- “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has eternal life;…” (3:35-36).
- He Must Be Believed… God’s wrath is the unbeliever’s reality.
- “…but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him,” (3:36).
How do we respond to Him Who Must Be Believed?
Believe!
He was the true Light, given by the Father, lifted up on the cross for the sins of the world that we might be saved. Each of us must decide for ourselves if we will believe Him and place our faith in Him for our salvation, eternity and all of life.
When we know and believe we cannot save ourselves, when we cast off our love of the darkness of sin to place our faith in Him and believe His death and resurrection is our only hope, we are born again, born of the Spirit to become children of God.
There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God, (John 1:9-13).
I pray today, you will prayerfully study and take to heart all He disclosed in John 3 and bow before Him in faith; for He is the Only Begotten Son, given that we might receive eternal life in Him Who Must Be Believed.
And as we Believe, may He grow our love and obedience to practice His truth, that our deeds and good works would glorify our Father in Heaven.
“But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God,” (3:19-21).
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven,” (Matthew 5:16).