The scripture for today, March 16 (3/16), is John 3:16 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:
“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.”
Guess what? Many people have heard there is such a scripture as John 3:16, but they do not know what it says. And among those who do know what it says, many have no idea what Jesus dying on the cross has to do with going to heaven.
It is important for us to read the entire Bible so we can understand the isolated scriptures we hear or read. There was a song written several years ago called, No Man Is An Island. No scripture is an island either. Just as every person influences other people in some way, every scripture influences other scriptures.
The meaning of John 3:16? Romans 3:23 says “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” And Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is [spiritual] death.”
There are certain truths that cannot be broken. For example, it is impossible for God to lie. Another truth is that both good and evil exist. It is obvious both are in a battle to win. Satan is the seat of evil. God is the seat of good. God is stronger than Satan. How do we know? Whatever Satan does, God can undo. When Satan causes someone to be sick, God can heal them. When Satan causes someone to sin, God can forgive them. When Satan causes someone to die, God can bring them back to life.
Satan held mankind hostage because we all sin. The ransom to free mankind was the death of someone who had never sinned. Only one being had never sinned ~ God. But God was smarter than Satan. God sent his Word down to us in flesh (John 1:1f, 14) ~ Jesus ~ who lived that perfect life that is impossible for us to live. Then, the fleshly-part of God paid the terrible ransom: He died physically and spiritually on the cross.
The ransom was now paid (Matthew 20:28 and I Peter 1:18-21). Then God played a trick on Satan. Only the flesh part of Jesus died. And even then, that body came back to life.
Today, we have a choice: Become a Christian or tell God the way we live is none of his business. Think. Think about this. Deeply. “God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son.” Understanding the price he paid to keep y out of hell, how can anyone walk away from him?
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