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

 

John 3:16 is one of the first verses of scripture I learned as a child. I remember being in Sunday school with my friends taking our turns quoting the weekly memory verse. There was always some kind of reward for successfully reciting the verse of the week. However, it was many years later when I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior that I began to understand the true reward of the content of the verse. John 3:16 is one of the most profound passages in the Bible because it proclaims the basis for our hope and salvation.

As time went on I became a husband and father where I learned to love others more than myself. Being a dad is something very special. I would lay down my life at any moment for my family. Upon gaining this level of maturity, John 3:16 took on a whole new meaning for me. As a father it is unthinkable to consider giving one of our children to save another person, especially someone we don’t even know and that might reject our generosity and refuse to be helped by the giving of our child.

But God gave His one and only Son Jesus so I, and everyone else on the face of the earth, would have an opportunity to be saved from eternity in hell separated from God. God had no expectations when He sent Jesus to die on the cross. He knew that some would reject His gift, but he also knew others would accept the gift of salvation. Because God loves us unconditionally, He was willing to give his Son Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for sinful man. Thus, by grace through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, ALL mankind might be saved. God’s love is everlasting, unchanging and perfect. All we must do to know the awesome love of God is: ADMIT we are sinners: Romans 3:23 says:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. BELIEVE that Jesus died and was resurrected to pay for our sins. Romans 6:23 says: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. And CONFESS our sins to Jesus and ask Him to be our personal savior. Romans 10:9-10 says: that if you confess with your mouth to the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Today is a great day to be saved; 2 Corinthians 6:2 says:  For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. God loves us and Jesus died for us. Won’t you accept Christ today? If you have questions about salvation, or would just like someone to pray with you, or for you; contact us at 334-464-6936. If you don’t have a church home I would like to invite you and your family to come worship with the body of believers at Friendship Baptist Church, located at 5720 Old Three Notch Road in the Bullock community just south of Brantley.

May God bless you and yours!

       Scott Donaldson is pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in the Bullock community, just south of Brantley.