Defending John 3:16 from attack about God’s love

John 3:16 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. 

In my international ministry which has won tens of thousands of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and pagans to the Lord for salvation and eternal life, I use John 3:16 as it is traditionally believed. This belief is God so loved all the people of the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so whosoever believes on Jesus Christ could have eternal life. I even wrote a brochure which actually contains the heart of what I preach about this verse. On the cover, I placed the nation which is the focus of brochure. Huge numbers of this brochure has gone throughout the world.

When I finish preaching and about to give an invitation for salvation in Christ, I give a view into heaven as proof God loves all the world, and the reason the people are in heaven. They actually tell us why they are in heaven, and they are from the entire world. This verse follows along with John 3:16, so you can compare:

Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 

John 3:16 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.

Author Joe Kovacs recently released a book titled Reaching God Speed. I have not read the book, but just an excerpt about his teaching of John 3:16, and how it is the most misunderstood verse in the Bible. You can read this excerpt which is found in World Net Daily under the heading: Most famous verse in the Bible is ‘misunderstood by millions’.

In the article, Kovacs is trying to prove that God does not love the world and to believe such is the wrong understanding of the verse; therefore, the simple reading of John 3:16 is wrong. Kovacs’ teaching is very troubling, and I am concerned after reading his book the people would not be able to use John 3:16 and God’s love for the world when sharing and preaching the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. This is serious and dangerous error on the part of Kovacs. It also casts a lot of doubt and questions about the integrity and the rest of his book.

A look at Kovacs teaching regarding the word “world”:

“This beloved passage of Scripture is seen and heard everywhere, from churches to sports stadiums across the globe, but it’s misunderstood by millions of devout Christians…”Many take the phrase ‘For God so loved the world’ to mean that God loves the world soooo much.”

The author is out to prove that God does not love the world and the idea that God does is a misunderstand of the Bible.

“But there’s a serious misperception with that,” Kovacs explains, “because the rest of the Bible does not indicate that God loves the world so much. In fact, the same person who wrote John 3:16 outright declares that followers of Jesus should not love the world or the things of the world at all.” “Obviously, God cannot be loving the world sooooo much and at the same time be instructing us not to love the world at all.

He then quotes 1 John 2:15-17 as his proof.(I use the KJV, he does not)

1 John 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 

This is a very serious and glaring error to pit 1 John 2:15-17 against John 3:16. A simple look at the Greek lexicon underlining the English shows the word “world” has eight different applications. The application for “world” in John 3:16 is found in section five meaning: PEOPLE. From the lexicon: the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family.

The use of the word “world” in 1 John 2:15-17 has a completely different application. This use is found in section eight meaning: worldly 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. Thus, this means God does not want us to love the world system! It does not mean the people of the world.

The correct understanding of John 3:16 is exactly as it reads, and this is God loves all the people of world: however, salvation is only for those who believe on Jesus Christ as Savior.

A look at Kovacs teaching regarding the word “so”:

John 3:14,15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 

Kovacs then attempts to reinforce his argument about the use of the word “world” not being humanity, by referring back to John 3:14. This verse is about Moses lifting up a bronze serpent on a pole, and all who were bitten by a poisonous snake would live if they looked at the lifted snake. He then connects John 3:16 with verse 14.

Kovacs states:”Hence, it is not about God loving the world soooo much, but rather it is that during the execution of Jesus, God was loving the people of the world like so, in a manner that gave them a way to escape their death penalty, in the same way, in the same manner as the ancient Israelites were spared the death penalty when they looked at the snake mounted on the pole. God is merely repeating the imagery.”

What he is trying to do is redirect that God “so loved the world” back to verse 14 and changing it to Moses lifting up the bronze snake is what the “so” is referring to; therefore, verse 16 has nothing to do about God’s love for all the people of the world! He then uses the following translation of John 3:16 as the way it should read:

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God loved the world IN THIS WAY: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14–16 CSB).

The word “so” in John 3:16 is a key to what Kovacs is attempting to do by taking the emphasis away from the world; however, the word “so” is telling us the extent of God’s love for the world, “that he gave his only begotten Son”. John 3:16 means God so loves the world (the people) that he gave Jesus Christ and whosoever believes on him has eternal life. This is very simple and clear.

Reading John 3:16 and 17 together makes this very, very clear:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world (people), that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world (people) to condemn the world (people); but that the world (people) through him might be saved. 

A closing comment:

The translation which Kovacs used for John 3:16 removed that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son and instead used “one and only Son” which is not correct. The use of only begotten Son shows the unique relationship between God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ who existed from all eternity. The use of “one and only Son” this not correct because the Bible tells us God has many sons. The sons follow:

Believers in Jesus Christ are the adopted sons of God: Romans 8:15

Adam was the son of God: Luke 3:38

Israel was called God’s son: Exodus 4:22

Solomon sat on the throne of Israel as son of God: 1 Chronicles 22:10

The angels: Job 38:7

The use of identifying Jesus Christ as “one and only Son” is simply wrong and in fact error. He has a special relationship with God the Father as the only begotten Son of God apart of all others. The simple reading of John 3:16 is exactly what it says, and this is God soooo loved the world!

See brochure, For God so loved the world.

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.