The World that God so Loved and Gave Himself for !
Jn 3:16
16 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.
The World here that God so Loved and gave His Son in behalf of, is a very specific World, for in the original the world is preceded by the definite article, indicating it is a definite specific world !
"Outwv gar hgaphsen (5656) o qeov ton kosmon, "
We clarify this because there is a specific world that Christ did not give Himself for Jn 17:9
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
egw peri autwn erwtw; (5719) ou peri tou kosmou
This World is obvious different from the one that He gave Himself in Behalf of !
The World that God so Loved, and that Christ Loved and Gave Himself for, is the World of His Church Eph 5:25
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
We understand this because those whom God Loved in Jn 3:16, Christ also Loved in Eph 5:25, and Christ Himself is God.
In the original its the Church with the definite article:
Oi andrev, agapate (5720) tav gunaikav, kaqwv kai o Xristov hgaphsen (5656) thn ekklhsian kai eauton paredwken (5656) uper authv,
You see the word world [kosmos] has various meanings, one of which is:
an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government
ornament, decoration, adornment, i.e. the arrangement of the stars, 'the heavenly hosts', as the ornament of the heavens. 1 Pet. 3:
the world, the universe
the circle of the earth, the earth
the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family
the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ
world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly
the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ
any aggregate or general collection of particulars of any sort
the Gentiles as contrasted to the Jews (Rom. 11:12 etc)
of believers only, John 1:29; 3:16; 3:17; 6:33; 12:47 1 Cor. 4:9; 2 Cor. 5:19
The Church is a World because it falls under the definition of world here as a collection of particulars. In this case it is a collection of the called out ones ! The word Church in the original is ekklēsia Ek means out of and kaleō to call, the called out ones as in Rom 9:24
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly
an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating
the assembly of the Israelites = World
any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously
in a Christian sense
an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting
a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order's sake
those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body
the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth
the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven
So, all of the called out ones from among the jews and gentiles, that form the Church, is the World that God Loved and gave His Son for, and the World that the Son Loved and gave Himself for, that He :
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Thats how they become Believers. And technically, that is What John 3:16 is saying, that God gave His Son for those Believing, pretty simple, all who believe in Him is whom He gave Himself for, and they constitute a World !
