By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
John 3:16 is one of the most recognizable verses in the Bible, hopefully not because some guy in a rainbow wig, who somehow managed to get prime seats at seemingly every major sporting event, was waving it around. “For God so loved the world …” Think about that. He so loved the world, not just a couple of good guys, but the world! ” … that He gave His only begotten Son …” He gave His Son for the whole world! Not just for the holy, obedient part of the world, the whole world! Before the world ever thought about Him, He thought about everyone in it! He didn’t have a spur of the moment inspiration, He had a long term plan. Yet how can a holy, righteous God put up with such a vile, selfish people as we? We can barely put up with each other, how can He still offer salvation to murderers, deceivers, abusers? But He does. Love is in the world because He first loved us.
His love is unmerited, undeserved, unearned, but it is always offered, to all! He doesn’t love wrong behavior, but any behavior can be changed, especially when it is exposed to His loving grace through Jesus. He never gives up on people, no matter how bad we may think they are, He still wants them to turn to Him. Jesus is always ready and willing to open the door of forgiveness to any and all who choose o accept it. Don’t let the hate the enemy has sown in the world ever blind your eyes to the marvelous truth that, God so loved, so loves, the world!