John 3:16

“Golden Text” The Greatest Being – God The Greatest Motive – Love The Greatest Need – the World The Greatest Sacrifice – He Gave His Only Begotten Son The Greatest Offer – Whosoever The Greatest Tragedy – Should Not Perish The Greatest Promise – Everlasting Life

John 3:16 Most Abused Text of the New Testament People insert “alone” in the text “All I need is John 3:16.” “Don’t talk to me about water baptism. John 3:16 doesn’t say anything about being baptized in order to be saved.” Doesn’t say anything about Repentance or Confession of Faith. But that doesn’t mean that repentance and confession are not necessary. Every word of John 3:16 is true, but not all of the truth on being saved is found in John 3:16

Every Word in The Bible is True Can never do less that what any one passage requires – but may have to do more than what one passage requires Must accept ALL the Bible teaches on the subject under consideration, not just what is taught in any one passage on the subject This is true of John 3:16 where the subject of faith in Christ and salvation on the ground of that faith is the subject.

The Bible Teaches Salvation is Through Faith By Faith we have eternal life – John 3:14-17 Justified by Faith – Romans 5:1 Salvation is by Faith – Romans 3:26-28; Ephesians 2:8,9 Hearts Purified by Faith – Acts 15:9 By Faith born again – 1 John 5:1,4 By Faith remission of sins – Acts 10:42,43

Every Word in John 3:16 is True – But Not All The Truth is Found in John 3:16 So Also is the subject of Salvation- Must Accept ALL the Bible Teaches on This Subject

The Bible Teaches Salvation is Through Obedience Eternal life by Obedience – John 3:36 NASB Justification by Obedience – Romans 1:5 Romans 6:16-18 Romans 16:25,26 James 2:14-26

The Bible Teaches Salvation is Through Obedience Hebrews 5:8,9 “author of eternal salvation to all who obey him” Mark 16:15,16 “believes and is baptized will be saved” 1 Peter 3:21 “now saved us – baptism” Acts 22:16 “be baptized, and wash away your sins”

The Bible Teaches Salvation is Through Obedience 1 Corinthians 15:1-3 “gospel which I preached…by which also you are saved…believed in vain” 1 Peter 4:17 “do not obey the gospel of God” 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 “who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”

The Bible Teaches Salvation is Through Obedience Purified by obedience – 1 Peter 1:22 Born again through obedience – 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 4:7; 5:1 Remission of sins by obedience – Romans 6:17,18 Acts 26:18 Acts 2:38

How Do We Harmonize These Statements? The Harmony is There Already IF we must make what we teach harmonize, something is wrong with what we teach! 2 Peter 3:16 “twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures”

How Do We Harmonize These Statements? Galatians 5:6 “faith working through love” John 14:23,24 “loves Me, he will keep My word” James 2:14-26 “faith without work is dead…justified by works, and not by faith only”

The Obedience of Faith This is what it means to believe in Jesus Christ unto salvation Romans 1:5; 16:26 “for obedience to the faith” Romans 10:9 “confess …believe … be saved” Mark 16:15,16 “believes and is baptized will be saved”

The Obedience of Faith Even the Son of Man Obeyed – Hebrew 5:8 John 9:4 “works of Him who sent Me” John 6:38 “not to do My own will” Luke 22:42 “not My will, but Yours, be done” John 12:48-50 “I speak just as the Father has told Me, so I speak”

Yes, It Is By Faith, But Not By Faith Only! Plain to see that the Bible teaches Salvation by Obedience, but Not by Obedience ONLY – just WORKS Faith and Obedience, work together or cooperate in the matter of our salvation from past sin

Any Interpretation of John 3:16 that separates FAITH & OBEDIENCE Must be WRONG Acts 6:7 “obedient to the faith” Hebrews 3:18,19 “those who did not obey… because of unbelief”

God’s Love is Great Enough & the Gospel is Powerful Enough to Save All Who Believe & Obey Romans 1:16,17 “power of God to salvation… the just shall live by Faith” 1 Peter 4:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 “not obey the gospel”

The One Who Believes on Jesus Christ Unto Eternal Life, As John 3:16 Teaches He Must Do Is the one whose Faith moves him to Obey his Lord in Baptism for the remission of his sins and to faithfully serve him as a Christian