JOHN 3:16-17
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(3:

16) Salvation: there is the purpose of God’s love: to save men. God’s purpose in giving His Son was threefold.
1. To save men from perishing (see DEEPER STUDY # 2, Perish—Jn.3:16).
2. To save men to eternal life.
3. To save men through belief. Note: this fact says that salvation is conditional.


DEEPER STUDY # 2
(3:16) Perish—Perishing (apoletai): to be lost, to destroy utterly, to lose utterly, to lose eternal life, to be spiritually desti-
tute, to be cut off.
1. Perishing means to be in a lost state in this world. It means to be...
• aging, deteriorating, decaying, dying.
• without life (purpose, meaning, significance).
• without peace (assurance, confidence, security in God’s keeping).
• without hope (of living forever).
2. Perishing means to be in a lost state in the world to come. It means...
• having to die • suffering separation from God and all loved ones
• facing judgment • experiencing all that hell is
• being condemned


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(3:17) God, Love of: there is the proof of God’s love, the Incarnation. God actually sent His Son into the world.
1. Christ was not sent to condemn or to judge the world. We, the world, deserve to be judged and condemned.
⇒ We are guilty both of breaking God’s law and of coming short of God’s glory (Ro.3:23).
⇒ We are convicted (Ro.3:9-18; cp. Ro.1:18-32).
However, Christ was not sent to condemn or judge us. Judgment and condemnation were not His purpose.
2. Christ was sent to save us. His purpose was to save us from perishing and to save us to eternal life.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”
(Lk.2:11).
“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a
ransom for many” (Mt.20:28).
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk.19:10).

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(3:17) Salvation—Jesus Christ, Mediator: there is the means of salvation. Salvation is through Him (Christ Jesus) and
through Him alone.

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners” (1 Tim.1:15).
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”
(1 Tim.2:5).
“And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1
Jn.4:14).
“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regene-
ration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our
Saviour” (Tit.3:4-7).
“Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this
is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world” (Jn.4:42).
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but
by me” (Jn.14:6).
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among
men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
“Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance
to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he
ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb.7:25).

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