Familiar but oh so Beautiful

Familiar But Oh So Beautiful

For a book study at church, I am reading The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ by Ray Ortlund. In the first chapter, Ortlund breaks down John 3:16. Ever since I read the chapter, I have been meditating on John 3:16. It is such a familiar verse that I don’t know when I last thought about its full impact and beauty. I pray you will join me in rediscovering the richness of John 3:16 today.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

I often like to diagram Scripture as I study. I did this with John 3:16 specifically in relation to the attributes of God I found in each of the four sections I divided it into. Before you read further, take time to list the attributes of God that you see. I was surprised by how many I found. Studying God’s character in this verse helped make the verse fresh to my heart and mind.

​For God so loved the world	​that He gave His only Son	​that whoever believes in Him	​should not perish but have eternal life

“For God so loved the world”

• God: We are looking at God’s character throughout this verse, but it is important when we read “God” in John 3:16 that we pause and let our minds be saturated with the God of the Bible. Ortlund reminds his readers that we often forget who God is because “God” has become so common to us. I like what A.W. Tozer said in his book The Knowledge of the Holy, “what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Everything else in life – our identity, our purpose, etc. – flows from who God is.

• so loved: Again, “love” is a common word to us that has been thrown around for all kinds of things. I have been known to say, “I love tacos,” but that is far from the connotation of God’s love. For a few refreshers, “Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds” (Psalm 36:5). “See what kind of love the Father has given to us (or lavished on us), that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1). “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

John could have left it at “For God loved the world…”, but he added so. God’s love is like

no other love. He isn’t stingy with it. It isn’t conditional. In fact, He loved us before we

ever even thought of loving Him. He loved us while were still sinners, while we were

still His enemies. It is love that makes us His children. It is a love that we will never be

separated from once we are His (Romans 8:38-39).

• the world: Each person in the world is God’s own creation, uniquely made. “The Jews of that day rarely thought that God loved the world. Many of them thought that God only loved Israel. The universal offer of salvation and life in Jesus was revolutionary” (David Guzik).

• Two main characteristics of God that I see in this first section are God’s love and that He is Creator.

“that He gave His only Son”

• gave: We often think that love is the only attribute of God in John 3:16, but in this second section we see that God gave His only Son. Why did God have to give His only Son? We are sinful. We are separated from God. There is nothing on our own that we can do to earn salvation or save ourselves. There is nothing we can do to restore the relationship with God that was broken when Adam and Eve sinned. We need this free gift from God.

• His only Son: The only way of salvation was through God’s only Son Jesus who lived a sinless life. He was the only spotless Lamb that could atone for our sins once and for all. God was willing and did sacrifice His Son for us, sinners and enemies. His gift is free to us, but it cost the Father and the Son immensely. Can any of you imagine sacrificing someone you loved to save someone else, especially someone who was your enemy? Paul brings this home in Romans 5:7, “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die.” We might be willing to sacrifice ourselves, but would we give up our loved one? This is why John began with “For God so loved the world.” God’s love was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to give us the gift of salvation. The Father poured out His wrath on His Son (in Matthew 20:22, the cup signifies God’s wrath poured out), so we would not receive it.

• As I reflect on this section, I see God as Father, merciful, gracious, holy, generous, good, wrathful, just and judge. Many like to think of God as loving, merciful, and gracious, but certainly not wrathful, just or judge. But we can’t separate God’s character. We respond in thanksgiving because we receive God’s grace, mercy, goodness, and generosity only because Jesus received God’s wrath and judgment in our place.

“that whoever believes in Him”

• whoever believes: Not everyone receives and benefits from God’s gift of Jesus. We must believe, put our trust in Jesus’ atoning work on our behalf.

• In Him: The Greek literally says “believes into Him…” When we trust in Jesus’ atoning work, we are united to Him. Elyse Fitzpatrick in Found In Him: The Joy of the Incarnation and Our Union with Christ encourages us that our oneness with Christ means we are never alone. Her book got me looking for all the “in Him” (or in Christ, through Christ, by Christ, etc.) phrases especially in Paul’s letters. Just a few are:

  • “In Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).

  • “For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ” (Colossians 2:5)

  • “If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).

  • “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13).

  • “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5

• There are so many more blessings that come from believing in Him, from being one with Jesus. Think about that statement. We are forever united to Jesus! This third section reveals that God is relational. He is preeminent. He is the source of all things (Romans 11:36).

“should not perish but have eternal life”

• This last phrase builds on our unity with Jesus since we will never perish. We will dwell forever with God. We do not need to fear death for it is merely the beginning of true life. In His resurrection, Jesus made the way for our own resurrection which is guaranteed by the Spirt.

• In this final section, I saw God’s eternality, sovereignty, goodness, and faithfulness.

You may have found characteristics of God that I missed. Wonderful! Each time I’ve read through John 3:16 in the past week, I’ve added to my list. What an amazing Heavenly Father we have. What a priceless gift He has given us in His Son.

We tend to think of the Gospel message relating solely to our salvation, but we need Gospel truths every day. When I sin today (I know I will), I am encouraged that God still so loves me. Nothing can separate me from His love. I am now united to Jesus forever. In giving His Son, the Father placed my sin on Jesus on the cross, and He gave me Jesus’ righteousness. There is therefore now no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)! We can walk in obedience out of grateful hearts with love for our Savior.

Reflection

1. What beautiful truth in John 3:16 were you in awe of today? Why?

2. Which of God’s attributes were most beautiful to you? Why?

3. Which of these gospel truths will encourage you the next time you sin?

4. Who can you show love to this week by sharing the truths of the Gospel?