Did you ever notice that John 3:16 contains not only one of the greatest Statements about Love (His Everlasting Love) … but also about Condemnation, eternal Death?
“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.” I have capitalized the two “poles” in the Verse. The verb “perish” implies dying and going to an eternal Hell-Fire!
In fact, the last Verse in John chapter 3, incorporates this same paradox, love and condemnation! Life and Death!
Here it is, Verse 36 … “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting LIFE: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the WRATH OF GOD abideth on him.” Watch the capitals again, please, love and judgment! God’s Wrath clinging to one’s being? Right now, habitually so!
Furthermore, John 3:18 as well … in the chapter explaining to Nicodemus how to be saved!
“He that believeth on him is NOT CONDEMNED: but he that believeth not is CONDEMNED ALREADY already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Wow!
Such dire “warnings” end four of Jesus’ five great Sermons in Matthew as well!
Actually Jesus taught more about Hell than any other person in the whole Bible! Check that fact for yourself if you have any doubt.
Yes, granted …
John 3 is likely the greatest Love, Salvation, “how-to-be-born-again” chapter in the New Testament.
Yet it is framed (at the beginning and then again at its end) with Texts that warn, warn sternly!
Men believed in Jesus at the end of John 2, but with a shallow “dead” faith. One commentator put it this way … “They believed in Jesus, but Jesus did not believe in them!”
Read it … “But Jesus did not commit (Greek pisteuo = to believe, trust) himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”
Then God’s Love, highlighted by John 3:16.
Then that famous Verse 36 again … “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”(What a warning!)
The “believeth not” expression means “rebels against, irreverently rejects!” Will NOT be persuaded!
It seems that God generally, after offering His Grace, His marvelous Salvation … cautions anyone dismissing it about the ultra serious consequences!
About coming “condemnation” to Christ rejecters!
Be saved today!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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