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John 3:16-17  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

When Jesus was born, ‘righteous and devout’ Simeon, ‘moved by the Spirit’, held the infant child in his arms and sang: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss (‘nunc dimittis’) your servant in peace.  For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32). He subsequently said to Mary, Jesus’ mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.  And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:34-35)

Later, during his earthly ministry, Jesus would say: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’” (Matthew 10:34-36)

In our world today, two millennia later, we continue to experience much hatred and violence as a result of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ being proclaimed in fulfilment of Simeon’s words, and Christianity is often criticised and denounced as ‘evil’ because of this unrest.  So it is good for us to remind ourselves of the most famous verse in the Bible!  The God of creation could not have expressed his love for his creation more strongly and deeply than through the sending of his own Son into the world – to ‘so love the world’ as to die in the sinner’s place.

John, throughout his writings, uses the term ‘the world’ (‘cosmos’) to refer to mankind in our fallen state of rebellion against our Creator (for instance, reporting Jesus’ reference to Satan as ‘the Ruler of this ‘cosmos’ – John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11), and it was for this ‘cosmos’ that God expressed the height, length, breadth and depth of his love by sending his Son to die!

Paul expresses the extent of this love in the words: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. … For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:8, 10)  The Saviour was given the name ‘Jesus’ “because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)  The term ‘whoever’ in John 3:16 (‘whosoever’ in KJV) makes it very clear that the offer of salvation (from perishing in eternal separation from God – hell) is freely open to everyone who takes hold of this offer in repentance-and-faith (‘believes’ in him)!  The sole purpose of Jesus’ coming was to save.  The result, however, because of man’s proud, sinful heart, was persistent rejection of God’s gracious offer and to suffer accordingly.

“How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that he should send his only Son to make a wretch his treasure.”  (Stuart Townend)

– Bruce Christian