THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

John: Believing On The Christ, The Son Of God, For Eternal Life

Part XII: Believing On Christ Due To His Witness To A Ruler Of The Jews, John 3:1-21

C. Believing On Christ Due To The Nature Of The Faith He Taught In John 3:16

(John 3:16)

I. Introduction

A. Many Muslims, Roman Catholics, mainline Protestants and even likely some Evangelicals believe that Jesus is God's Messenger, a "good" or even sinless man, but they do not know Him as Savior so as to have eternal life.

B. It is thus imperative that we understand the nature of the faith Jesus taught in John 3:16 was to be exercised in relation to Him for salvation that we might effectively clarify the gospel to such needy people (as follows):

II. Believing On Christ Due To The Nature Of The Faith He Taught In John 3:16.

A. The verb "believeth" in John 3:16 KJV is explained in John 3:14-15 and Numbers 21:4-9 (as follows):

1. John 3:16 is introduced by the conjunction, gar ("For") to show the verse further explains the John 3:14-15 thought that in turn refers to the Numbers 21:4-9 Old Testament event. (U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 330)

2. Thus, the meaning of "believeth" in John 3:16 KJV is clarified within the context of these other passages.

B. These John 3:14-15 and Numbers 21:4-9 passages reveal that the John 3:16 KJV word "believeth" refers to a personal commitment of reliance UPON Christ to escape hell and to receive eternal life (as follows):

1. The sin of Israel's people in Numbers 21:4-9 had led them into a life-threatening crisis of divine judgment -- the threat of God's punishment of the loss of their physical lives by being bitten by poisonous serpents!

2. The people then acknowledged the fact that their sin against God had led to His judgment of the plague of serpents (Num. 21:7a), so they sought God's deliverance, asking Moses to pray for them, Num. 21:7b.

3. God accordingly had Moses make the bronze serpent and lift it up on a pole, directing Israel's afflicted people to look at it to be healed by the Lord from their lethal serpent bites, Numbers 21:8-9.

4. Thus, the faith in John 3:16 is not a mere belief about Jesus, but a personal commitment UNTO Him for deliverance from hell like Israel in the wilderness sought God's deliverance from physical death!

C. Also, the case of Nicodemus in John 3:1-12 in the introductory context of John 3:16 reveals that faith in Christ must be more than some belief about Him, but a personal commitment UNTO Christ (as follows):

1. John 3:2 reports how Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews, had already believed that Jesus was a Messenger from God, that he already knew Jesus had demonstrated as much by His miraculous works!

2. However, Jesus' words in John 3:3, 7 reveal that Nicodemus was still NOT saved, that he was still NOT QUALIFIED to see the Kingdom of God ALTHOUGH He believed some truths ABOUT Jesus!

3. Thus, Nicodemus needed more than even an accurate series of beliefs about Jesus to be saved -- he needed to make a personal commitment to ENTRUST his SOUL UNTO HIM for ETERNAL LIFE!

D. The Greek grammar at John 3:16 similarly reveals that Jesus taught the need for a personal commitment type of faith as opposed to a mere belief about Jesus for salvation to occur (as follows):

1. In the Greek text at John 3:16, the verb pisteuo, meaning "believe, trust, entrust" (Ibid.; Abbott & Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the N. T., 1968, p. 361-362) that is translated "believeth" in John 3:16 KJV is followed by the phrase, eis auton ("in [lit. "into"] Him," John 3:16 KJV, Ibid., U. B. S. Greek N. T.)

2. Now, whenever pisteuo is followed by the prepositions en ("in") or eis ("in, into"), such an arrangement always refers to a "personal trust and reliance distinct from mere credence or belief," Ibid., Abbott-Smith.

3. Thus, the expression "believeth on Him" at John 3:16 KJV in the Greek text grammatically reveals Jesus taught a personal commitment unto Himself for eternal life, NOT just a credence or belief ABOUT Him.

E. The Greek grammar in the wider context at John 3:18 also shows the need for a personal commitment of faith:

1. The phrases eis auton ("in [lit. "into"] Him") and eis to onoma ("in [lit. "into"] the name") respectively follow appearances of pisteuo in John 3:18 in the wider context to John 3:16, Ibid., U. B. S. Greek N. T.

2. Thus, applying the grammatical information given in section II, D above regarding the verb pisteuo being followed by eis, Jesus at John 3:18 claimed that whether one makes a personal commitment of faith unto Him for salvation or not is the determining factor for whether he NOW stands condemned or saved!

Lesson: In John 3:16, Jesus taught one must personally entrust himself to Jesus to avoid hell and gain eternal life!

Application: May we teach men to make a personal commitment to, to entrust themselves unto Christ, to be saved!