Framed by Faith » 2008

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.

From my youth, and for several years after, John 3:16 has been the cornerstone verse for all of Christianity. However, today, if you ask an acknowledged Christian to recite it, many can’t. It still is a foundational verse for me, and I would like to share some thoughts about it. To do so, let’s break it down:

For God so loved the world … Year after year, throughout the ages, human beings have wondered about the existence of God, let alone whether or not he cared for them. What makes John 3:16 so special is that it was spoken by someone who knew firsthand about God’s love. Jesus was well aware that his Father loved all that he had created. But they weren’t getting it. At this point in history the only people left who believed in the one true God were being oppressed by the government, and their own religious leaders were making matters worse.

The Holy Bible is the primary guidebook for millions of spiritual followers around the world. It’s touted as still the best-selling book ever. The fact that it has been expanded from the King James Version to more modern translations and paraphrases is likely what has kept its ranking in book sales. Add to that the many study Bibles (for men, women, teens, depressed people, workaholics, charismatics, etc.), and you can see why it remains popular. But is it really God’s word?

One of the best dialogues I have heard recently was on the Neal Boortz talk radio show (I’m recreating it as best I can from memory.), when a caller remarked that God didn’t like such and such, to which Boortz replied, “How do you know that God doesn’t like it?”