Articles From Our Bulletins
Saving Faith
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
What a beautiful expression of God’s transcendent love and sacrifice to save mankind! Surely it is the most well-known and most oft-quoted passage in all of Scripture. And for good reason! It encapsulates not only God’s loving sacrifice, but also reveals the plan for the salvation of man which was formulated before the foundation of the world (cf. Ephesians 1:3-14).
Unfortunately, John 3:16 is also likely the most misunderstood and misapplied passage in all of Scripture. Please consider the following questions to illustrate:
- To whom were these words of truth spoken?
- In what context?
Properly applying this great verse is not so much a matter of how men understand and use belief/faith, but how Jesus did so. As is usually the case, context is critical.
The words were spoken to Nicodemus, a “ruler of the Jews” that had come “to Jesus by night” and confessed at least a partial belief that Jesus had “come from God as a teacher,” and admitted that he had reached this conclusion because “no one can do the signs that You do unless God is with him,” vv.1-2. While this is certainly not the same as affirming that Jesus had “descended from heaven” and was “the Son of Man,” v.13 (i.e. that He was the Messiah), it is certainly a step in the right direction, and one upon which saving faith could be built.
But look further into the context and note Jesus’ initial replies to Nicodemus’ opening statement, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” v.3. To “see” (the Greek word is “horao” and means: to see with the eyes; to see with the mind; to become acquainted with by experience) the kingdom, Jesus said Nicodemus would have to be “born again.” Whatever level of belief/faith in Jesus that Nicodemus then possessed was not yet sufficient to allow true understanding of, let alone entrance into, “the kingdom of God.” To reach such, he would have to be “born again,” which, to a Jewish Rabbi that trusted in his physical heritage from Abraham and his attachment to the Law of Moses for his concept of salvation, was mind-boggling. Thus, Nicodemus gives voice to his confusion in v.4, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Note carefully Jesus’ reply…
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,” v.5. Thus, neither Nicodemus’ physical birth into the lineage of Abraham, nor his then present preliminary faith were sufficient for salvation (entrance to the kingdom). Instead, he would have to be spiritually “born again.” The spiritual birth Jesus required had two elements: 1) of water; and, 2) the Spirit. Nicodemus had obviously already been born of the physical waters of the natural birth process, so it makes no sense for Jesus to require such of him. Jesus, therefore, was requiring a rebirth by water that is spiritual. John had come before Jesus baptizing to repentance, but when asked, freely confessed that it would be Jesus who would bring a baptism of salvation, cf. John 1:19-27. Such surely comports with Jesus’ words to Nicodemus here in John 3:5, and with the commission He left His apostles, Mark 16:15-16; Matthew 28:19-20. Thus, for Nicodemus to see or enter the kingdom of God (and therefore, salvation), he would have to born again by baptism.
But Jesus enjoined a second component to this rebirth He required for salvation. He said Nicodemus would have to be born “of water and the Spirit,” v.5. What does this mean? We should not confuse Jesus’ reference here with Holy Spirit Baptism of Acts 1:4-5, since it is not otherwise mentioned in our context of John 3 at all, and was never commanded as a requirement of salvation. Instead, the Spirit’s involvement with the new birth (being born again) has to do with His mission of revelation, cf. John 16:13. Though it is not specifically the case with Nicodemus- since Jesus the Christ is speaking directly to him, others since learn about this requirement of rebirth by baptism through/by the revelation of the word by the Spirit (cf. 1Corinthians 2:10-13; Ephesians 3:3-5 where the Spirit’s role of revelation is described in more detail). Note that 1Peter 1:22-23 says it is “obedience to the truth” that purifies our souls when we are “born again” by “obedience to the truth… the word of God.” We are “born again” when “by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,” 1Corinthians 12:13. The Spirit has revealed to us Jesus’ requirement to be born again of water, thus making our rebirth both of water and the Spirit. Did Jesus promise salvation to Nicodemus on the basis initial or preliminary belief in Him as being “sent from God” in John 3:16? Hardly. Instead, He said Nicodemus would have to be born again of water and the Spirit.
For the sake of absolute clarity in understanding what kind/level of faith Jesus is talking about in John 3:16, let’s again look to the immediate context of the verse. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life,” John 3:14-15. The reference harkens back to Numbers 21, when God, because of Israel’s faithless impatient complaining, sent fiery serpents among them (see Numbers 21:4-6). The serpents “serpents bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.” The people petitioned Moses to intercede with God on their behalf “that He might remove the serpents from us,” v.7. But instead of removing the serpents, God provided a cure for snakebites. This cure involved Moses creating a bronze serpent, and raising it in the midst of the camp “that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he shall live,” v.8. Think about this carefully. What level of faith did “the cure” require? Were the Israel’s saved from the effects of the serpent (think sin) when they: 1) understood in their hearts that God existed; 2) accepted that God was able or had the power to heal them; or when they, 3) did what God said by moving to a point in the camp where they could see, and then looked upon the serpent? Obviously #s 1 and 2 were involved, but healing was only accomplished when they did what God said in obedience, Numbers 21:9.
Now, within the context of Jesus’ requirement of Nicodemus to be born again by water and the Spirit, and God’s requirement of Israel’s faithful obedience to be healed, Jesus said, “that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life,” John 3:15-16.
To understand Jesus’ words, and certainly to correctly apply them as He intended to salvation, we must get the context. Jesus is NOT affirming that either initial belief in, or even the mental acceptance of Him as the Son of God, assures salvation. Instead, He IS stating that the faith that leads us to obey Him assures salvation. His actions and His teaching that follow further confirm this truth, cf. John 3:22,36.
John 3:16 is a beautiful and beloved passage of God’s love saving man. But to exclude man’s faithful obedience from it misses the point and denies the obligation of Jesus’ words to Nicodemus and us.
- Saving_Faith.pdf (95.64 kB)
