What You Thought You Knew About God’s Love

Key Verse: John 3:16

One of the first Bible verses that most people learn is John 3:16. I mean it makes sense to talk about God’s love first, given that the Bible in its entirety is one big love letter. However, it is important when thinking about this verse to understand that Jesus was speaking to a head-teacher of the Jews, Nicodemus, and explaining to him the importance of new life. Nicodemus was under the impression, like most Christians, that his status or affiliation would guarantee him a place in heaven. Isn’t it funny how as Christians we say we trust God, but, even when He speaks to us directly, we still manage to ignore His message or question its legitimacy? Nicodemus was so focused on Earthly products and gains that he was about to miss out on his spiritual blessings.

This is how we end up at John 3:16. Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus that this isn’t just some lecture about new life. He wants Nicodemus to know that God is intentional in everything that He does. God didn’t just use love as an adjective to describe how he felt, but He realized that it was a verb that would require sacrifice. Love served as a guide for God’s actions. A man who never sinned bore the sins of the world. He didn’t just take on the sins of those who spoke highly of Him, but He took the sins of those who spat on Him, beat Him, and cursed His name. This shows us two major things about Jesus: 1) Jesus acts under God’s authority and 2) Jesus wants us to be willing to make sacrifices too. God doesn’t expect us to know everything about new life to receive it. Romans 5:8 reminds us that Christ’s persecution happened while we were still sinners. So, we must let our belief in Christ and our love for Christ serve as our guide.

Verse 17 picks up to say that Jesus didn’t come to cast judgment, but to save us all. Jesus is the only one to come down from heaven. He was sent here to serve as an example, to be the true light (v.19). By connecting ourselves to the light we can be transparent about our flaws like Nicodemus who asked questions and admitted his ignorance, but God can use that to get the ultimate glory (v.21). It’s interesting to think that this same ignorant man is the same person who helped bury Jesus, which showcases that we can all grow in our faith and God can use us for his glory.

So, as you can see John 3:16 is more than a verse about God’s love. It is a verse that showcases that one is never too old to learn, love is rooted in sacrifice, and love is not about judgment but about the light that gives life. The next time you quote this popular verse, I want to challenge you to think more about the application than the memorization. If you are reading this today, consider this as God’s way of saying He loves you. It doesn’t matter what mistakes you have made prior to this point, He can still use you. All you have to do is take this time to accept God’s truth and love and apply it to your life.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving me in a way that only you can. Thank you for sending your son and using Him as the ultimate example of love and sacrifice. Thank you for giving me a new life, so that I can spend eternity with you. Lord, please use my flaws for your glory, so that I can be a light that makes others want to draw closer to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.