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. –John 3:16
This iconic Scripture verse is probably one of the most quoted, translated, and memorized verses in the Bible. Even non-Christians recognize it. It appears on bumper stickers, t-shirts, coffee mugs, etc. Tim Tebow, the Heisman-winning football player, printed this reference on his eye black, most notably during the 2009 BCS championship game. Three years later, Tim threw for 316 yards in an NFL playoff game that would later be dubbed “the 3:16 game.”
No other verse so succinctly describes God’s relationship with humanity and the way of salvation. To me, this is one of the most important passages in Scripture and truly the core point of both the Bible and Christianity. It reassures us that we are loved unconditionally, and even though we are sinners, we will have a place with Him for eternity.
We are loved not because we deserve it, but simply because we are God’s special creation. Through His grace He has given us this vastly undeserved gift of eternal life. His love and mercy are so strong and unwavering that He sacrificed His Son to free us from our sins.
Jesus lived a perfect, blameless life and chose to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. By doing so, He made us whole again, dying so we may live. What does He ask in return? “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6).
Is this too much to ask, to open our hearts to Jesus?
Today so many are lost, as Jesus described in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). But there is still hope. It is still possible for anyone to be found if they only open their eyes and ears and hearts to Jesus.
God gave us the task to guide others to Jesus, to pray for their salvation, to show them the gospel truth in the hope-filled words of today’s verse.
May God’s wisdom and love show us how to accomplish this righteous endeavor. Amen.
-Mike Green
