Featured John 3:16, The Meaning of "kosmos"

Repentance and salvation are the same coin.

One may have “worldly sorrow” but that is not repentance.

The Holy Spirit’s responsibility is to bring conviction, judgement, and righteousness. Without those three there can be no true repentance/salvation.

That remembered, it is also important to keep in mind that not everyone will express repentance by signs of remorse.

Some have acknowledgement and determination.

Some have depression and despondency.

Some have hand clapping jumping for joy release.

But without true repentance there is no salvation.

God does not save so one can keep going the same direction.

Repentance means, turn around and go the other way.

 

"For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach,
because we trust in the living God,
who is the Saviour of all men,
specially of those that believe."
1 Timothy 4:10

"And he is the propitiation for our sins;
and not for ours only,
but also for the sins of the whole world."
1 John 2:2

 

Certainly. There is not a sin sinned that the blood has not sufficiently remised.

Yet, not all are reconciled to God.

Therefore, God, who is the one and only Savior of all men (for none can come but through Him) is especially the Savior of those that are His, who He knows, and whose name when called respond to His voice.

 

Heresay


Joy unspeakable full of glory

 

I need to clarify.

Are you arguing against the statement “...the Word of God that saves lost souls” or is there something else you disagree.

 

The Jehovah Witness Bible is not the word of God

 

"Yet, not all are reconciled to God."

This is true though I suspect you mean "God is not reconciled to all."

Here is what you should focus on:

20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Does God WANT and DESIRE all to be reconciled to God? Remember GOD is running HIS APPEAL THROUGH US, BEGGING on BEHALF OF CHRIST, to be reconciled to God.

Does that sound like GOD WANTS and DESIRES Reconciliation?

 

World = the ordered configuration or system, God laid down, relative to the formless, empty darkness of the earth, which God then: Rom 8:20 for to vanity was the creation made subject -- not of its will, but because of Him who did subject it -- in hope, <John 3:16 1 Peter 1:18-20 Redeemed from vanity, by the blood.

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

 

I think John 3:16 speaks of the new heavens and earth where the entire world is saved.

 

The election is God's and is conditional on being wholly unmerted on the part of His elect.

 

The Greek word translated usually as "world" has a range of meanings. And one of those meanings is "mankind."

One way I use to test whether a certain meaning among others is intended is to translate the verse or passage using the possible meaning and seeing if it fits everywhere.

John 3:16 God loved mankind in this way, He gave His one of a kind Son so that everyone believing into Him would not perish but have eternal life.

Seems to convey the meaning with greater clarity. Now if you replace "mankind" with "planet earth" you get nonsense because inorganic material has no ability to be "believing."

 

There are two people groups on the earth who have a hard time believing that God loved the world. It is Jews and Calvinists. They think that God's love is limited to them. The Jews thought it because they were born of Abraham and the Calvinists because they suppose themselves to be a special class of elected humans. In John 3 Jesus is transcending both of these groups.He is saying in John 3 that there is no limit on his love and the proof is that he, God, came in the form of a man to pay the penalty for all sin by substituting himself as the object of the anger of God against our sin.

Jesus Christ would have saved the man who drove the spikes in his hands if he would have asked him to. He did save the thief on the other cross who asked him to.

 

Yes, some people think God does not "love" all of mankind. Certainly He reserves His affectionate love for family to His born anew children. But 1 Timothy 2:4-6 clearly says God desires all people to be saved [according to His redemption plan] and therefore Christ laid down His life as a ransom for all. Even those heading for destruction (1 Peter 2:1). The reason why some cannot see to truth as presented in scripture is they believe God saves individuals by use of compulsion, because nobody suffering from total spiritual inability could be persuaded to believe fully in Christ.

 

What a sad and empty predicament. I am so glad it is not true.

 

It should be noted that the "New World Translation" isn't simply a good translation mis-read with a bias. It is, actually, wrong in translating many aspects of Greek. For instance, John 1:1 says "the word was a god" instead of what the Greek says "The Word was God." That isn't simply a bias in reading; it is a deep and unrecoverable flaw in the translation.

The Archangel

 

Utter foolishness.

The bold sections above contradict. Because the spike driver didn't ask places a limit on the love of Jesus--if you define love as only salvation, which you're obviously doing.

If, as you suggest, Jesus' love is only exhibited in the salvation of sinners, then you would have to say He didn't love those who were damned (even though they chose to reject Him).

So, maybe your concept or description of God's love needs to be better.

The Archangel

 

If Christ didn't love those who did not ask of Him then why does our Lord grieve over there Loss. Just because our Lord has rules that even He lives by why call that Hate. Many hate Christ and call Him hateful but then God Loves them any way. Maybe you don't really understand what Righteous really is.
MB

 

The point I was making, which you too have seemed to miss, is that "love" isn't reducible to "Salvation."

The Archangel

 

Psalms 5:5,". . . thou hatest all workers of iniquity."

 

I know there are those who come for Salvation have no intention of repentance I feel sorry for them. Then there are those who truly repent and later on having to continue to repent. Paul was one who died to sin daily

God is Love. Salvation can be had if we are repentant The problem is many cannot repent because they simply do not have the fortitude to admit they're wrong . This is why conviction is so important. Conviction I believe breaks down pride.
MB