John 3:16? Yeah, I Don't Really Have a Problem With That.

Ah, yes. John 3:16. It's verse that every Christian child knows by heart. It's also the verse that, because of familiarity, we brush past and fail to understand it's meaning. We've heard it too many times. This is sad because, in many ways, John 3:16 is an incredibly useful tool. John 3:16 is the basic preaching of the Gospel. It's succinct yet it tells the whole story. However, many universalists like to throw it at Calvinists and say that it disproves the doctrine of Specific Atonement. Guess what. I don't have a problem with John 3:16. It doesn't conflict with my beliefs at all. A combination of a couple of other doctrines explain this verse very nicely. First, let's look at the actual verse.

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (emphasis added by me.)

Well there you have it! "God so loved the world!" Woah. Slow down. Yes, I agree that's what it says. God so loved the world. I'm totally onboard with that. Now, look at who it says He saves. He doesn't save the whole world. He saves "whoever believes in him." Again this may seem problematic. Whoever means anybody! Yes it does. I still agree with this statement though. Anyone who believes on Christ will be saved. Without variance. Yet, not just anyone can come to Christ! Man is dead in sin. Man can't initiate salvation. God must reach down and quicken a soul before it can turn to Him. In eternity past, God loved and chose each soul that He would regenerate. These are the elect. According to the doctrine of Specific Atonement, Christ died for the sins of his elect. This is totally consistent with John 3:16. Christ paid for the sins of everyone who believes on him. This what is so unique about Specific Atonement. It enables Christ's sacrifice to be perfectly sufficient for everyone he died for. Not simply effective only for those who choose to grasp a hold of it. Christ accomplished his mission. Universalism, at it's heart, denies man's sin nature and God's sovereignty. I hope that any Calvinists out there who were afraid of John 3:16 can now see that it is a beautiful verse that Universalists have stolen from us. Let's take it back. After all, it's the Gospel at stake. What larger stakes can there be?

God Bless,

Stanley