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16 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. John 3:16 NKJV
Most Beloved Verse
This verse is forever one of the most beloved and most frequently quoted verses of your Bible. Someone once said it was the Bible in a nutshell. It is the sum of the gospel. You have read it countless times as a Christian and heard it often as a nonbeliever. You know that God gave His Son to be the perfect sacrifice for all of humanity.
Humanity definitely was not perfect. We were each and every one steeped in our sins.
His Death, Our Forgiveness
Christ died for us that the wall of sin was crashed down for us and thus, we had access to a holy God. Christ took our sins and God saw Christ in our place.
We were forgiven.
You know this. Perhaps you have known this since you were a very young child. With the rest of us, you memorized this verse in Sunday School and wrote it on the first page of your first Bible next to your penciled name in printed childish scrawl.
Two Words
So, today we are focusing on two words in this verse only that perhaps have been read over quickly in the past.
Today we will embrace the thought that eternal life through Jesus Christ was given to WHOEVER BELIEVES.
No Impressive Qualifications Needed
One doesn’t have to have a superior understanding, a good education, be accomplished, be “better” than most others. You simply have to be a person. No age, race, I.Q., or lack thereof matters. No social-economic status is counted. There is no right neighborhood, bank account, or standing in the firm that counts. All that matters is that you are a “whoever.”
Exist
Simply put, you need to exist.
And you do. You exist.
That’s it and that is number one on the qualifying list.
Simply be alive. Be the wretched sinner that we all managed to be and be here.
Secondly, we have to Believe.
BELIEVE IN JESUS
Believing that Jesus Christ is the Risen Son of God Almighty Who God sent to die on a cross for our sins is the heart of faith.
Therefore, we have to believe that if we ask Jesus into our lives as Savior, God will forgive us when we repent to Him through Jesus.
Lastly, we have to believe and embrace that true repentance, the turning from our sins to follow and obey Jesus, is that to which we will dedicate our lives.
SALVATION
Then, Whoever Believes is a person who is forgiven and granted salvation and eternal life. Our eternal life begins here and stretches throughout infinity. We will have the indwelling of Christ and the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us if we earnestly ask God.
What a blessing, what a huge life-changing blessing, to become one of the Believing Whoever.
Have You done this?
If so,
Welcome to the Family of God!