Featured The Meaning of 'World' in John 3:16

John 3
16“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.


So Jesus is explaining this to totally depraved Nicodemus?



9Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?


Wait so is Jesus shocked that totally depraved nicodemus who is not born again nor regenerated teacher did not understand these things.........shouldn't be he more shocked that he was a teacher at all?


John 1
11He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.



But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,


So.....if they receive him they get right to become children. Shouldn't they get right to become children first then they have the capability to receive him.

Wouldn't the Calvinist position require you to be regenerated.


Like you would be totally depraved.....that is incapable of understanding the gospel.


1 peter 1
22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.


Can't be born again by the word of God, because you can't read or understand the word of God unless your born again.

 

False. Arminians do not believe it always means the same thing.

Classic example of a strawman argument

Secondly, you are using a non-sequitur. The fact that "world" doesnt always mean all the people does not prove that it does not mean "all the people" in John 3:16

It certainly doesnt mean "world" as in 1 John 2:15. And you cannot take an instance where a word is used as a synecdoche (John 18:20- quoted earlier) and try to make that the standard for the meaning. (as done earlier)

So tell me. what do you claim world means in John 3:16?

 

"loving the world" is not the part that refutes Calvinism. THE MANNER (οὕτως) OF LOVE for the world AND IT's PURPOSE that as described by Jesus is.

...and world here does not mean "world system" as in 1 John 2:15 nor is it a synecdoche as in John 18:20, and as I look at the various meanings of KOSMOS, I do not see another that fits here (besides the people of the world), so which meaning of KOSMOS do you place on it in John 3:16?

I hope you're not making it a synecdoche in John 3:16. That would be rather odd

 

No, not Israel only ever, but in this dialogue Israel (or the Jewish arrangement) is in view. I'm pretty sure Nicodemus never understood non-Jews to be included in 3:16.

As Nicodemus, 'the eleven' did not understand non-Jews to be included in the 'great commission', as you call it, else Peter would not have been called onto the carpet for preaching the gospel to Cornelius. It wasn't until Acts 11 that this realization came to be:

18 And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then to the Gentiles also hath God granted repentance unto life. Acts 11

No, it shows the truth of passages such as these:

5 Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. Acts 2

21 For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath. Acts 15

15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. Rev 17

There was nothing small or insignificant about the 'Jewish arrangement' of that day.

 

I've heard it taught and believe that it could be shown that John always used kosmos in reference to God's religious arrangement.

 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life."

Following Hodge's first rule of interpretation it would interesting to look into the immediate meanings of some other words in the passage.

 

I wouldn't disagree with you what you explicitly state, it's what is implied that we differ on.
That's ok though.

 

ACTS Chapter 4

24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His Christ.’

27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

I don't agree with Pink concerning this particular prayer

 

It's implied that for some they *were* ordained to never have it credited to their account. Forgive me if my inference was incorrect.

 

I would participate on such a thread.

 

It could have been written exactly as you wrote it.

HankD

 

I wasn't saying they were ordained *to be lost*, i understand we all are lost and in need of the Good Shepherd Seeking and Saving us. I was putting the emphasis of what was being ordained was that some *were never/will never be chosen*.