”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” | John 3: 16

We warn you against those who say that “God loved the world” means “God loved every one alike.”

They tell people indiscriminately that “John 3: 16 means that God loved you. You may substitute your name for the word world in John 3: 16.”

They know this is not true!

“I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.” (Malachi 1: 2-3)

For example, they know that God Himself declared, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated”.

“As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Romans 9: 13)

Despite knowing this, we can imagine them saying to Esau, as they say to all others, “Smile, God loves you – for God loves everyone! When you read John 3:16, change the word world to your name, so that it reads ‘For God so loved Esau ….’”

Hear me well!

Neither Esau nor all the other unrepentant and unbelieving wicked people whom God declares that He hates are in the world loved by God, and to which He gave His only begotten Son for their salvation.

Furthermore, there is more than one world on this earth.

And the world loved by God is distinguished from another world in the High Priestly prayer of Jesus Christ to His Father recorded in John chapter seventeen.

“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” (John 17: 6-9)

That other world is the world for which Jesus Christ refused to pray, and the world from which God removed His people and gave to Christ in order that He might save them: “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me… they have believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Ephesians 1: 3-6)

“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6: 16-19)

They who misrepresent God’s love to His world should remember that among the people God hates and abominates is “a false witness who speaks lies”.

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him; And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him; We love him, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4: 9, 16, 19)

All who are in this world loved by God will confess: “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. … And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. … We love Him because He first loved us”.

Is this your confession?

~ Pastor Daniel Parks

Click here to listen to the message “Even So, Amen” (35:28 minutes)

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 1 June, 2021 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia