Jesus says that in the days leading up to His Second Coming, people will not realize what will happen to them; they will marry and give in marriage, just as they had done in the days before the flood in Noah’s day. In the same way they didn’t notice, but when the flood came and took them all?Also inattentive when Christ returns and the day of the flood of God’s judgment comes to earth and takes them away (Matthew 24:36-39 This is an alarming thought, of course, but he should give us a great appreciation of the glorious truths of the gospel clearly articulated in passages such as John 3:16.
One of the things John 3:16 assures us is that God will be merciful to all those who place their hope and trust in Jesus Christ. Believers do not have to fear the coming of the flood of God’s judgment, because they know that God gave His Son for the express purpose that everyone who believes in Him “does not perish”. This is one of the glorious truths presented to us in this well-known verse, as we will see.
- While it is true that the word perecer is often used in the Gospels to refer to death or physical destruction (about 36 out of 66 occurrences).
- It means much more than that here in this passage We know that this is the case because the word ?Singing in eternal life? Saved in verse 17.
- And he?He is not judged in verse 18.
- La destruction of which believers are forgiven in John 3:16 therefore it is not physical death or even some form of annihilation.
- But the eternal destruction that results from being “judged” because of sin and rebellion.
- All who reject Christ and persist in his disbelief will not receive eternal life.
- But eternal destruction.
- God’s wrath? Remains? With them forever (v.
- 36).
This understanding of the word perish is consistent with Jesus’ teaching on hell. In Matthew 25. 31-46, for example, Jesus places eternal life, who is reserved for the righteous, in opposition to eternal fire? (v. 41) and “eternal punishment” (v. 46) which are reserved for everyone else (called “goats” who do not follow the shepherd, also “cursed”). Those who do not receive eternal life do not simply die or cease to exist. Do they live forever? Destruction? OR? Punishment? That manifests itself in “an unquenchable fire. ” (Matthew 18. 8; Mark 9. 43, 48; Luke 3. 17) or in the “fiery furnace” in which? Will there be crying and gnashing of teeth? (Matthew 13:42, 50) That is what it means to perish. It is an eternity to receive what our sins and the rejection of Jesus Christ deserve.
And that is precisely why John 3:16 is so encouraging to the Christian. He offers us the promise that “everyone who believes in Jesus Christ will not perish. Although our sins and rebellion clearly deserve an eternity of destruction, it is not what we will receive from God. He will be merciful. He will deliver us from destruction, he will not give us what we deserve. Jesus guaranteed that. Thank God for your ineffable gift (2 Corinthians 9. 15).
But John 3:16 also stands out as a warning that there are only two types of people in the world: those who perish and those who believe in the Son and are therefore free to perish; those who remain under God’s wrath for all eternity and those who believe and receive eternal life in their place (John 3:36). Each person’s response to Jesus determines which of the two categories he belongs to. Those who respond with faith and obedience. (which is fruit and therefore proof of authentic faith) will not perish, but will have eternal life; those who do not respond with faith and obedience will receive no mercy; God’s wrath will remain upon them for eternity.
The good news of John 3:16 is that we have all been counted among those who perish, but now, by faith in Christ, this is no longer the case; we have received mercy. And that’s why we won’t perish.
This article is part of the May 2016 edition of Tabletalk magazine
Translation: Joel Paulo Aragono da Guia Oliveira Review: Yago Martins. © 2016 Faithful Ministérium. All rights reserved. Website: MinistryFiel. com. br. Original: Why is John 3:16 so encouraging to the Christian?
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