Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 3:16-17

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him." — John 3:16-17 (ASV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Condemnation does come to the world through Christ, because the world rejects him; but that was no part of God's design in sending him. His design is salvation—salvation only. Oh! that we might so believe as to answer to the divine purpose in the sending of his Son.

He that believeth on him is not condemned, not even now, notwithstanding every sin he has committed, he is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.

Unbelieving is the condemning sin; it seals upon us the condemnation of every other sin.

If you do not believe in Christ this morning, my hearer, you are not in a state of probation; you are condemned already. He that believes on him is not in a state of probation; he is not condemned; he is already acquitted. He is at this moment free from condemnation before the judgment-seat of God.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

If any one of you says, "I cannot cause myself to be born again," that is quite true; yet listen to this message in the same chapter which speaks of the new birth: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16–17)

There was no necessity for Christ to come here to condemn us, for we were condemned already by our sin. Why, then, did Jesus come? He must have come upon an errand of mercy, to bring salvation to the lost. Indeed; God sent him for that very purpose, that he might give eternal life to as many as believe in him. Oh, the glorious freeness of this precious gospel! Surely they deserve the deepest hell who refuse heaven on such terms.

They must forever perish if they reject life when it is set before them in this truly gracious manner.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Now this, which is good teaching for those who have only recently come to Christ, or for those who are seeking to come to him, is the very same teaching which will bring comfort to the most advanced and best-instructed saints. How I love continually to begin with Christ over again as I began at the first! They say, when a man is sick, that it is a good thing to take him to his native place, and when a true believer's soul grows faint and unbelieving, let him breathe the air of Calvary over again.

The learned Grotius, who had spent most of his life in theological disputations – not always, or even often, on the right side – when he was dying said, "Read me something;" and they read him the story of the publican and the Pharisee. He said, "And that poor publican I am; thank God, that publican I am. God be merciful to me a sinner." That was the statement with which the great scholar entered into heaven, and that is the way in which you and I must come to God. May the Holy Spirit help us to come to him in this way!

Amen.