Title: Never perish / John 3:16
Subject: Not perishing (John 3:16)
The words we want to think about at this time are the words at the end of verse 16, "that he might not perish, but that he might have eternal life."
Often when you go to a party, a lot of delicious food is served on ice cubes at first, but those who arrive late often return only food such as leftovers. If you listen to the word, it's okay at first like a dragon, but as it progresses, you know everything, but there are many times when you say it.
There are some people who think that the end of the text can be concluded because there are a lot of good content in front of it. But know that the Lord's banquet is better at the end than at the beginning.
(Ezekiel 36:11) I will multiply people and beasts over you, but I will make them fruitful and multiply.
I will inhabit you according to your former position, and I will treat you better than the first time.
you will know that I am the LORD
1."Not perishing"
The word “I will not perish” is a word with a deep meaning of the Lord.
1) What is "Destruction" (Apollymi)?
Kittel literally says in his theological dictionary
① "Destroy" or "Kill" on the battlefield or in prison
②"to lose" "to lose"
③"Destroy"
It is said to have been used in the Bible.
2) Contents of destruction
① The destruction that the Lord speaks of in John 3:16 means the judgment that God performs.
(James 4:12) There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, able to save and to destroy.
(Romans 14:10) ... We will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
② This destruction cannot be actively avoided by man.
No one wants everyone to perish. So, some of the first people built the Tower of Babel in order to avoid scattering.
(Genesis 11:4) And he said, Come on, let us build a city and a tower, and let the top of the tower reach to the heavens, and make a name for ourselves.
Let us avoid being scattered all over the earth,
But despite their efforts, they were forced to disperse. In doing things without God, except for God, there was God's intervention.
In Jesus' parable of the rich man, he was moved by the abundance of
(Luke 12:19) And I said to my soul, Soul, many things are laid up for many years.
Rest in peace, eat, drink, and be merry.”
but God said
(Luke 12:20) God said, "You fool, this night your soul will be required of you."
Then whose will your preparations be?
He pointed out the limitations of human beings.
Jesus said
(Mark 8:35) Whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever wants to save his life will lose it for me and the gospel.
If I lose my life, I will save it.
You are speaking a paradoxical truth.
③Why do God and Jesus introduce human autonomous efforts as incompetence?
It is pointing to the "lack of human autonomy in salvation."
(Isaiah 53:6) We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way...
It is said that all human beings are destined to perish.
(Romans 3:23) For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
(Psalm 14:3) All have turned aside, and together they have become unclean; there is none who does good, not even one.
(Romans 3:10) As it is written, There is none righteous, not even one.
That is, no one can save himself from being destroyed by his own efforts.
④So Jesus told many parables about what was lost in his parables.
a.The parable of the lost sheep
Jesus pointed out Ezekiel's prophecy
(Ezekiel 34:4) You will not strengthen the weak, you will not heal the sick, you will not
They do not bind up, they do not bring back the outcasts, they do not seek out the lost, but they rule over them with violence.
Focusing on the sheep, the original meaning of pointing out the mistakes of the priests and religious leaders, people are introduced as wandering and wandering like lost sheep.
b. The parable of a lost drachma
c. parable of the prodigal son
The Lord is pointing out that we are like the prodigal son who left his father.
⑤ "The only way that does not perish is Jesus"
(John 10:28) I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
And no one will snatch them out of my hand.
(Acts 4:11) This Jesus is the stone rejected by your builders, and has become the cornerstone of the house.
(Acts 4:12) There is salvation in no one else. There is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved.
He said, "Nothing has been given to us."
2."Eternal life ( )"
Eternal life means "eternal life",
1). What is life?
This word means eternal life and should be thought of as two terms, "eternity" and "life", which were characteristic of John.
a. natural life
"Life" is a word derived from creation, and the natural life of all creation comes from God.
(Genesis 2:7) The LORD God formed man from the dust, and breathed breath into his nostrils.
man became a living being
Therefore, the source of life is God.
(Psalm 36:9) For you are the fountain of life, and in your light we will see it.
(Deuteronomy 32:39) Now know that I, even I, am he; there is no god with me; I kill;
It gives life, it wounds, it heals; there is no one who can deliver it out of my hand.
b. "Life" in the text is new given through Jesus Christ.
(Romans 8:2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.
The Lord is life.
Because the Lord gives life, he is the bread of life.
(John 6:35) Jesus said, I am the bread of life...
The Lord is the light of life.
(John 8:12) And Jesus spoke again, saying, I am the light of the world.
He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
The Lord gives the water of life
(John 4:14) Whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never thirst.
The water I give will become in it a spring of water springing up to eternal life.
The word of the Lord is spirit and life.
(John 6:63) ... The words I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
The Lord is the life-giving bread.
(John 6:33) The bread of God comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
c. The Bible refers to this as present life.
By referring to the present life, John is not expressing an abstract and spiritual life, but concretely expressing "life" that comes from the Lord who is the source of life.
Present Expression of Life by Faith
(John 3:15) That whoever believes in him might have eternal life.
passed from death to life.
(John 5:24) Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Christ has already given them glory. (PERFECT TENSE)
(John 17:22) I have given them the glory that was given to me, as we are one.
so that we too may become one.
d.Nevertheless, "life" is futuristic.
(John 5:28) Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice (John 5:29) For those who have done good will come out to a resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to a resurrection of judgment.
(John 6:54) Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.
I will raise him up on the last day
2) The word "eternity" literally means "infinite time".
In other words, "eternal life" and "eternal life" are eschatological expressions connected with the kingdom of heaven from the Lord Jesus Christ, as in the meaning of the kingdom of God.
(John 5:24) Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
(John 6:54) Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.
I will raise him up on the last day
Eternal life here is clearly present and future, as seen in the phrase "I have obtained eternal life". Therefore, eternal life means a new age, a new life that began with Jesus Christ, and is “eternal life” that is completed on the last day of salvation. Therefore, those who confess Jesus Christ by faith and those who have been redeemed by him already have eternal life and have the joy of heaven.
3. There are only two paths in life: the path of destruction and the path of eternal life.
In the text, Jesus points out that there is no other way than the way of life and the way of perdition by saying, "that we might not perish, but have eternal life." There is no neutral way other than these two. It is an absolute alternative path.
*** conclusion ***
1. All human beings have no choice but to perish.
2. The only way that does not perish is Jesus.
3. Natural life comes from God, and new life comes from the Lord.
4. The conclusion of life ends with the path of eternal life and the path of destruction, heaven and hell.
We hope that we will become saints who lead the way to eternal life by having the life in Jesus.