The most quoted!
Good morning brothers and sisters. We all know the most quoted verse in the Bible. Yes, it is John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. What a beautiful, welcoming verse. And every word of it is the absolute truth. But why is that the most quoted? Because we never take it deeper than the surface. Look at the very next verse. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him MIGHT be saved. See believing in Jesus is the starting line. We often think that's it. I believe therefore I am saved. But the very next verse says might be saved. Belief is the starting point not the finish line. The finish line is when this journey of life is over. But you really can't have John 3:16 without looking at 1 John 3:16. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. He did it so we would know what to do. You see Him laying down His life for us was our example to lay down our lives for others. Do you see what I am getting at? We have things we must do, we have a life that we must live in order to get to the finish line. And that finish line is everlasting life. God loves you. He wants you. Look at John 3:16 as your starting point not your one and done. When you believe, you have just started your life with Christ. And one last scripture that goes hand in hand with John 3:16, there are many others but for this just one more. 1 John 4:9-10. 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. See belief is the start. This last scripture points out that we live through Him. And how do you do that? The answer is found in Genesis through Revelation. This is our roadmap on this journey called life. Rise up child of God, rise up!