The Narrow Path Ministries

Hello,

Greetings to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nice weather here in Toronto.

How would you interpret John 3:15-18

"15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16"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. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son"

PAULESPINO wrote:Hello,

Greetings to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nice weather here in Toronto.

How would you interpret John 3:15-18

It's good to include v. 14. From the ESV:

"14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

My restatement, as I understand it:

Jesus must be lifted up (similar to the way Moses lifted up the serpent), because this results in eternal life for every person who believes in him. That is, without him being lifted up, belief can't lead to eternal life. You see, God loved the world so much--or loved the world in such a way--that he gave his only Son. Why did he do that? What was the purpose? Due to his love, he gave his Son so that every believing person wouldn't perish, but would have eternal life.

You see, Jesus didn't come for condemnation of the world. He came for the purpose of the world being saved through him. Every person who believes is not condemned--but every person who does not believe is condemned already, through his unbelief.


That was a pretty open-ended question. Did you have a point in mind?

Jugulum wrote:

That was a pretty open-ended question. Did you have a point in mind?

Yes, It summarizes the Arminian position.

Whoever believe in him will have eternal life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very refreshing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PAULESPINO wrote

nice weather here in Toronto

Do you live in Toronto or are you just visiting? Yes, the weather is amazing today. I'm heading outside right now.

PAULESPINO wrote:Jugulum wrote:

That was a pretty open-ended question. Did you have a point in mind?

Yes, It summarizes the Arminian position.

Whoever believe in him will have eternal life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very refreshing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Paul,

I don't think that there's anything here they disagree with. They think that only those that believe in Him will have eternal life too.

Of course they also think that "world" here means those who believe as well. As in, He only died for those who [will] believe. Perhaps that's what you were getting at?

PAULESPINO wrote:Jugulum wrote:

That was a pretty open-ended question. Did you have a point in mind?

Yes, It summarizes the Arminian position.

Whoever believe in him will have eternal life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very refreshing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Strange. Do you think Calvinists do not believe that whoever believes will have eternal life? Or, to render it more literally, it's "all those believing in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." ("Believe" there is a participle, so it's "-ing". And "whoever" means something like "all, any, every, the whole", according to Strong's. And my e-Sword program says it's translated "all" about 975 times in the KJV, so I think I'm on safe ground there.)

Could you explain to me why you think Calvinists don't believe that all those who believe in Him will have eternal life? Do Calvinists think there will be anyone who truly believes who won't have eternal life? Or that there will be anyone who has eternal life who doesn't truly believe?


Anyway, why bother asking how we interpret John 3:15-18, if you're not going to say anything about my answer? I mean, if you were just trying to make a point, why not just make it?

The passage is very simple all it says is that whoever believe in him will not perish.

Who is all? All human created by God.

PAULESPINO wrote:The passage is very simple all it says is that whoever believe in him will not perish.

Who is all? All human created by God.

Um. And I said that I agree that whoever believes in Him will not perish. So... Glad we agree.

How do the calvinists explain this passgae.

PAULESPINO wrote:How do the calvinists explain this passgae.

I just told you. Two posts ago.