What Does Love Cost?

John 3:16

Modern English Version Chapter 3

Nov 14, 2015 John 3:16

16 *“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.

An Exposition into the Truth of Nicodemus

(5) Nothing else but the free love of the Father is the

beginning of our salvation, and Christ is he in whom our

righteousness and salvation dwells: and faith is the

instrument or means by which we apprehend it, and

everlasting life is that which is set before us to

apprehend.

(o) It is not the same to believe in a thing, and to

believe about a thing, for we may not believe in anything

except in God alone, but we may believe about anything

whatever, says Nazianzene in his Oration of the Spirit.

The Outline Bible Section Outline Three (John 3)

Jesus meets with Nicodemus and tells him in order to be saved, all people must be born again. John the Baptist tells his disciples that Jesus is the Messiah.

I. JESUS EXPLAINS THE PLAN OF SALVATION (3:1–21):

A man named Nicodemus visits Jesus by night.

A. The credentials of Nicodemus (3:1):

He is both a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin and a Pharisee.

B. The confession of Nicodemus (3:2):

He acknowledges that Jesus is from God because of his miracles.

C. The command to Nicodemus (3:3):

Jesus says he needs the new birth.

D. The confusion of Nicodemus (3:4):

He confuses spiritual birth with physical birth.

E. The chastening of Nicodemus (3:9–13):

Jesus chides him for not knowing these things even though he is a respected Jewish teacher.

F. The clarification for Nicodemus (3:5–8, 14–15):

Jesus employs three illustrations to explain the new birth to Nicodemus.

1. A physical illustration (3:5–7):

Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.

2. A natural illustration (3:8):

Just as you don’t know where the wind comes from or where it is going, so it is impossible to explain being born of the Spirit.

3. A scriptural illustration (3:14–15):

As Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.

G. The conclusion for Nicodemus (3:16–21):

Jesus now summarizes both the subjects of salvation and condemnation!

1. The persons (3:16)

a. The Father gave his Son (3:16a).

b. The Son will give his life (3:16b).

2. The purpose (3:17)

a. It is not to condemn sinners (3:17a).

b. It is to convert sinners (3:17b).

3. The people (3:18–21)

a. Condemnation for those who reject Christ (3:18b–20)

b. Salvation for those who receive Christ (3:18a, 21)

H. L. Willmington, The Outline Bible (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), Jn 3.