“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” John 3:16 (NIV).

For God so loved the world | John 3:16 …

On January 8, 2009, God led the then University of FL quarterback Tim Tebow to inscribe John 3:16 under his eyes with eye black for the highly televised national championship game. This was a switch from his Phil 4:13 inscription during previous games. Later, Tebow learned that 94 million people googled this Verse during the game and he was humbled by just how big our God really is. 

Fast forward to Jan. 8, 2012, which was exactly three years to the date that Tim’s inscription caused millions of football fans to Google John 3:16. This is now Tebow’s first NFL playoff game with the Broncos against the Pittsburgh Steelers. And God showed up again.

During this playoff game, Tebow threw for 316 yards. He averaged 31.6 yards per completion, which is the highest single game postseason completion average in NFL history. Big Ben’s second quarter interception, which led to Denver’s field goal and a 17-6 Broncos lead, came on third and 16. The Steelers ended up finishing the game with a time of possession of 31:06. Tebow threw the game winning 80 yard touchdown pass, the NFL’s longest postseason pass in overtime history. And CBS’s final quarter hour overnight ratings were reportedly a 31.6.

Are these stats just a coincidence? Or was our Creator seeking to get our attention?

(My hubby is sitting here, sweetly helping me write this, but he’s also chiding me for making him relive a huge Playoff loss for his Steelers, lololol. Yes, he loves me … 😊)

John 3:16 is one the most well known verses in the Bible. In our humanity, when something becomes well known or familiar, we can begin to gloss over it and miss the significance of it all. But we cannot afford to miss what our living God is offering to us, His beloved creation, in this verse.

In John Chapter 3, a prominent Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus came to Jesus during the dark hours of the night. Despite Nicodemus’ devotion to teaching God’s law and his esteemed position in the Sanhedrin, Jesus let him know that he still needed to experience a new birth. Jesus cut right to the heart of the issue:

“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (vs 3).

Then Jesus says:

“Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (vv 5-6).

The term “born again” can also be translated “born from above.” Perhaps you have wondered what it means to be born again?

Jesus tells us we must be born of water and Spirit to enter God’s Kingdom. I read some commentaries that said the word ‘water‘ used in verse 5 allude to the water baptism of a new Believer or the water from the amniotic sac at the time of natural birth.

But the NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible goes deeper. It says Jesus’ words ‘water and the Spirit’ point to Ezekiel 36:25–27 in the Old Testament, which says:

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (NIV).

When we are born again, we receive a spiritual cleansing.

Titus 3:5 tells us: “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (NIV).

People are members of an earthly family by natural birth, but they become members of God’s family by spiritual birth. There is no other way to join God’s family than by spiritual rebirth (v 5). Jesus compared the work of the Spirit to the blowing of the wind (v 8). In Strong’s Concordance, the words “wind” and “Spirit” are similar in the original Greek:

wind:
πνεῦμα (pneuma)
Noun – Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong’s 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

Spirit:
Πνεύματος (Pneumatos)
Noun – Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong’s 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

Isn’t that beautiful? Please take a few minutes to let Jesus’ Words soak in:

“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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” John 3:16-18 NIV.

Did you see what Jesus is telling us here?

Contrary to what some may think, Jesus did NOT come to earth to condemn us. He didn’t need to because we were already condemned. Jesus came into the world to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).

This right here is God’s mercy and extravagant grace!!! 

But, and please hear this … if we reject God’s gift of salvation through Christ, we will remain condemned.

In Revelation 20, we read about the great white throne judgment of God. When we stand before God and the books are opened, He isn’t going to mention every lie we ever told, everything we ever stole, or every wrong thought or deed.

There will be only one charge: our failure to receive Christ.

Let’s take a look at Jesus’ words about the Lamb’s Book of Life:

“The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels” Revelation 3:5 (NIV).

The above verse further reveals God’s love towards us and that He desires for no one to perish. You may or may not have heard that when we are saved, or born again, our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. But the truth is, everyone’s name was already written in the Book. It’s only when we ourselves choose to reject Jesus that our names will be blotted out of, or removed from, the Lamb’s Book of Life.

If we choose this path, it will lead to our second death.

“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14-15 NIV).  

My heart is extremely sad when I hear someone say they don’t need Jesus because they are believing a lie from the enemy. Hell is a very real place and our loving God doesn’t send anyone there. When we choose to reject Christ, we will not experience the resurrection life, which is found only in Him. 

God gives us free will and will honor our choice, although I know it is breaking my Heavenly Father’s heart into a million pieces to see someone leave this earth without Jesus.  

Contrary to what manmade religions tell us, there is NO other way to the Father except through His Son, Jesus. We can never be good enough or religious enough to enter Heaven on our own merits. This is what Jesus was trying to tell Nicodemus, an esteemed religious leader in his day who wholeheartedly believed he was living a good life for God. If anyone could have made it to Heaven on his own merits, Nicodemus was the man.

But thank goodness … it doesn’t work that way!

The ground is completely level at the foot of Christ’s cross. There is no higher hill for those with earthly status to stand upon: the educated, the accomplished, the wealthy, or the religious. We ALL need Jesus! ALL must repent or perish …

“… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23 (ESV).

So how can we be born again?

We are born again when we, by faith, believe in Jesus Christ. With humility, we genuinely repent of our sins and believe that Christ bore God’s judgment for our sins in His death upon the cross. We ask Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit and we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior in our heart. I know from experience that God will instantly respond to you and flood you with His love and forgiveness.  

We are then born again by the Spirit of God. We become new creations in Christ, a child of God. 

Believing in Christ, this is the key …

I asked if you thought Tebow’s game stats were a coincidence or if God was seeking to get our attention. Friend, I wish you knew the heart of your Creator for you, His created. You would then understand our living God has been seeking to get YOUR attention for a long time. He loves YOU so very much and does not want to spend eternity without you! 

How much does God love you?

There’s absolutely nothing that you could have ever done that would stop God from loving you. This is His unconditional love. God’s love is called agape love, His incomparable and unmeasurable divine love for each and every one of us! And that includes YOU, my friend!

“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8 (NIV).

Please don’t let ANYONE (stranger, acquaintance, friend, colleague, sibling, parent) on this earth persuade you to that you don’t need Christ. The devil knows that his end is drawing near and he is fighting hard right now to take as many people with him as possible. 

Please … won’t you approach Jesus today?

I can promise you from experience … He will welcome you and never reject you! Jesus welcomed me with open arms. ME, the most unworthy of sinners. And like the father of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32, God has been waiting and searching the horizon for YOU, too! Susan and I will be praying for you!

Blessings … ❤️

For God so loved the world | John 3:16 @ freshgracefortoday.com

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“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us …” Ephesians 1:7-8 (NIV).