These words are undoubtedly among the most quoted, preached on, and well-known words in the Bible. Spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ to a Jewish teacher named Nicodemus around 2,000 years ago, they have been widely used to explain the message of the gospel.
As we read the verse, one word stands out – loved. This shows that the actions of God are not those of a self-centred or capricious being but are, in fact, motivated by love.
So, as we look at the verse, we might ask: What did Jesus teach about love?
Love has a Source
There are so many things about God that are beyond our understanding, but the Lord Jesus does not begin there. Rather, He starts with something most people can grasp to some extent – love. He doesn’t just begin the verse with the word love; He takes us all the way back to the very source of love – God Himself. In 1 John 4:8 the same writer who recorded these words says, “God is love”. This is not a mantra to justify doing whatever we want, assuming a God who is love will ignore our sin. Rather, it is an explanation of the nature and character of God. The Persons of the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) have loved eternally, and this outflowing of God’s love resulted, not only in the creation of the world, but also in the creation of humankind. Even though we humans who fill God’s world have disobeyed and disappointed Him, He still loves us.
Love is Sacrificial
But how can we prove that God loves us? According to our verse the proof is that God sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus, in human form to demonstrate His love. The day before His crucifixion, the Lord Jesus tells His disciples, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Lest we should wonder to whom He is referring, He tells His disciples in the following verse, “You are my friends”. The Lord Jesus wants His followers to understand that the greatest demonstration of love is that of giving oneself, especially when it is done without expecting anything in return. When the apostle Paul is summarising this message in the book of Romans he says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (5:8 ESV). Looking to the love of God as something Christians can depend on, he refers to God as, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all” (8:32 ESV).
Love can Save
My hope, as you read this article and consider the sending of the Lord Jesus Christ to die on the cross, is that you understand the motivation behind this momentous event. The death of Jesus was not merely a miscarriage of justice, nor was it a dreadful accident – it was an act of love. God loved humanity so much that He sent His Son to take God’s judgement on behalf of sinners. The verse that we are considering does not conclude with the love of God, nor with the sending of the Lord Jesus. Rather, it concludes with an offer that is extended to the whole of humanity and has only one condition: “that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”. The love of God is not just something shown in the past; it is available now and extends into the great eternity ahead – it is something that He wants you to enjoy with Him forever.
