John 3:16's two interpretations

1689Dave

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“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.” John 3:16 (KJV 1900)

People interpret this verse in two different ways. 1) whoever believes is a trait of those whom God saves. It would be similar to saying blond hair and blue eyes are traits of some Germans I know. Hebrews 11:1 Says Faith is evidence of things not seen. Jesus says whoever believes has eternal life. It is a way to spot saved people.

2) involves reading into the text something not there. People who assume Free will is an irrefutable fact, and having been brought up in a society where free will makes Law possible, have a tendency to interpret John 3:16 along those lines. That is by adding the words "chooses to believe in him" will be saved. As if the verse is a law they must obey in order to save themselves.

So the two options result in salvation by grace, the 1) position. Or salvation by works, the 2) position that changes the gospel into a law that cannot save. People end up having faith in their choice to believe and become their own assumed saviors.
 

atpollard

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What about people like me who believe that by plucking the single verse out of context both interpretations are making a point that the verse was not attempting to address one way or the other. I think it is a verse linked to the reference to Moses and the Serpent whose purpose is to explain the HOW of salvation rather than “who is saved”. It is all about “Faith and not by Works of the Law”. There is a link between the faith of looking to the bronze serpent saving people from the Judgement God had already declared them guilty and sent the punishment for (poison snakes) and “whosoever believes” in the Son being spared the JUDGEMENT already made (see John 3:18). The whole section expresses a single, complex and interconnected thought. At the heart is “believe” being the key to life (Just like when Moses made a bronze snake).

I think the Monergism vs Synergism hair needs to be split over other verses taken in their context. John 3:16 is not talking about that question.
 

1689Dave

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What about people like me who believe that by plucking the single verse out of context both interpretations are making a point that the verse was not attempting to address one way or the other. I think it is a verse linked to the reference to Moses and the Serpent whose purpose is to explain the HOW of salvation rather than “who is saved”. It is all about “Faith and not by Works of the Law”. There is a link between the faith of looking to the bronze serpent saving people from the Judgement God had already declared them guilty and sent the punishment for (poison snakes) and “whosoever believes” in the Son being spared the JUDGEMENT already made (see John 3:18). The whole section expresses a single, complex and interconnected thought. At the heart is “believe” being the key to life (Just like when Moses made a bronze snake).

I think the Monergism vs Synergism hair needs to be split over other verses taken in their context. John 3:16 is not talking about that question.
You cannot understand the verse if you do not balance it with many others. That is what this is about. People overlook the Limited Atonement verses and run off like a dog with a new bone on this one.
 

atpollard

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You cannot understand the verse if you do not balance it with many others. That is what this is about. People overlook the Limited Atonement verses and run off like a dog with a new bone on this one.
Got it … You hate Limited Atonement and only want to argue your pet position (irrespective of what the verse quoted actually means).

Carry on.
 

1689Dave

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Got it … You hate Limited Atonement and only want to argue your pet position (irrespective of what the verse quoted actually means).

Carry on.
I believe in limited (redemption) atonement. I believe this because Christ redeemed me on the cross.
 

Josiah

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Dave,

Since you came here, you have basically ONE issue. So, generally, no matter what the thread, you bring to your issue.

As you and everyone knows, the view your friends, the radical, extremist, ladder-day Calvinists gave the moniker of "Universal Atonement" to, is this: Jesus died for all. Those 4 words. That's it, that's all.

You seem to not like that moniker. Blame those radical Calvinists you echo, they invented the monikers for the two opposing views.

As you have been told - MANY times, over many weeks, in numerous threads, the early Christians, the Church Council, the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, the Lutheran Church and more teach that Jesus died for all BUT they never use the Calvinist invented moniker in their statements, declarations or Confessions. I stated the Catholic embrace of this in CCC 605 and you noted it just states the view, not the Calvinist name for it. And I quoted the Lutheran Confessions and you read the view but didn't see the Calvinist moniker they invented for it. The doctrine is this: Jesus died for all.

Which is why this topic isn't about the monikers the radical, extremist, latter-day Calvinists you echo gave to the two views, IT'S BEEN ABOUT THE TWO VIEWS.


Here are the two competing views:


1. Jesus died for all people.

Here are just a few of the Scriptures that state this view. This view simply echos them, verbatim.

Hebrews 2:9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all

2 Corinthians 5:15 And he died for all

1 Timothy 2:6 Who gave himself as a ransom for all.

and many more just like the above.

+ This view does NOT hold that all individuals have personal justification since that requires a second aspect, the divine gift of faith. BOTH the CROSS and FAITH are 100% the work and gift of God and together they bring justification (narrow sense) to the individual.

+ The Catholic Church, Lutheran Church and Anglican churches have condemned Pelagianism and all its forms (it's a tad fuzzy in the EOC, lol) So this teaching does not hold that we save ourselves, it does not denounce original sin, it does not repudiate faith. It states this: Jesus died for all. It echos those words from the Bible. It doesn't explain anything, it doesn't deny anything, it affirms one point: Jesus died for all.

It is the view of

John Calvin
Martin Luther (at least after he became Lutheran)
The Church Fathers
The Church Council of 859
The Orthodox Church
The Catholic Church
The Anglican Church
The Lutheran Church


2. No, Jesus did NOT die for all people but ONLY, EXCLUSIVELY, SOLELY for some unknown few.

Here are the Scriptures that state this view:

Crickets.

+ There is a verse that says "Jesus died for the Elect" but none that say ONLY for the Elect. And there are verses that state that Jesus died for us (Christians) but none that state ONLY for us (indeed, see 1 John 2:2). And without the "only" the point is unsubstantiated. Apologists of this view must employ a silly logical fallacy, one illustrated by this: "Ford makes Mustangs, ergo Ford ONLY makes Mustangs." Or "Bob loves his wife, ergo he ONLY loves his wife and not his kids." Even my four year old son can see the absurdity of the logical fallacy radical, extremist Calvinists use as their apologetic for this invention. The whole apologetic has not one Scripture that states their point. It's based entirely on a logical fallacy.

+ And of course if this horrible invention is true, then no one can know if Jesus' death is for THEM (odds are, it's not). And no way to know if their trust in that death for THEM means anything at all since they can't know if it was for them (probably not).

Radical Calvinists invented this dogma in response to Arminianists (who embrace some forms of synergism and Pelagianism) and necessitates the opposition having those views. It doesn't work at all on people who aren't Arminianists. It's based on NOT ONE VERSE in Scripture (so much for Sola Scriptura) and on a fallacy that permits them to INSERT the word "only" into texts, the logical fallacy that is the entire basis of their apologetic is like this: "Ford makes Mustangs, ergo Ford ONLY makes Mustangs." Their entire apologetic rests on this logical fallacy. And the absence of any Scripture that states it.

We all know you have this remarkably, incredibly silly idea that questions are substantiation. And that you just employ a plethora of logical fallacies and heaven knows endless red-herrings, constantly trying to CHANGE the view of "Jesus died for all" into almost anything but that, I'm surprised you haven't yet claimed the doctrine is that the Moon is made of cream cheese (it would be as truthful as what you've been claiming), always changing the topic to things NOT being taught in this doctrine - and we know why, you can't defend your position and can't show the actual position we are presenting is wrong.

This is the view of

A tiny number of radical Calvinists who actually disagreed with Calvin on this.




.
 
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1689Dave

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Dave,

Since you came here, you have basically ONE issue. So, generally, no matter what the thread, you bring to your issue.
I have many threads that utter not a chirp on the Atonement. Why not answer the Pharisee's unbelief cause?
 

MoreCoffee

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The immediate context is:
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 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. 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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 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. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.​
John 3:9-21

With the serpent in the wilderness it was the one who lifted his/her eyes to look upon the brazen serpent that was healed of serpent bite. With the Christ it is the one who believes that is healed of the curse of death, which is the great serpent's bite, that is to say, it is Satan's serpentine bite on the heal which Genesis three mentions as part of the curse that results in death*. In Genesis chapter three it is all of Adam's posterity that is harmed by the serpent and in John it is all who believe that are healed of the serpent's harm. The reasoning of saint John is not difficult to follow. And saint John is teaching his readers that faith in Jesus Christ will save from eternal death. Later in the gospel of saint John it is written:
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.​
John 20:30-31

The message of this gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ, is, believe!

It's up to the reader to believe or not.

* And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Genesis 3:14-19
 
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atpollard

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I believe in limited (redemption) atonement. I believe this because Christ redeemed me on the cross.
I stand corrected … you hate Unlimited Atonement and want to argue against it even if John 3:16 has nothing to do with atonement (limited vs unlimited).
 

atpollard

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2. No, Jesus did NOT die for all people but ONLY, EXCLUSIVELY, SOLELY for some unknown few.
Respectfully, option 2 would be more honestly described as “Jesus died for His sheep”.
(Can you find any scripture that might suggest that Jesus died for His sheep?)

However, that does not change the fact that John 3:16 is not about either option 1 or option 2 … it is about salvation by FAITH (belief) vs WORKS (the Law) … HOW rather than WHO.
 

1689Dave

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I stand corrected … you hate Unlimited Atonement and want to argue against it even if John 3:16 has nothing to do with atonement (limited vs unlimited).
It sounds as though you hate me. Is that the problem?
 

MoreCoffee

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It sounds as though you hate me. Is that the problem?
I hope none hate you; ever in prayers is the best way to describe my reaction.
 

atpollard

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It sounds as though you hate me. Is that the problem?
No, I don’t hate you.

Theologically, we even agree on the issue of Atonement (I too, believe that Jesus died for His sheep and only for His sheep to actually save every person that He died for rather than just buying every person without exception a chance at a synergistic salvation).

I just disagree with your propensity to make every discussion about every verse an argument for Calvinism and against any other viewpoint. I genuinely do not believe that the context of John 3:16 has the question of Limited vs Universal atonement in mind. It supports neither view as a proof text because it is not addressing that subject.

When I attempted to discuss the meaning, purpose and context of John 3:16 not being “atonement-centric”, you doubled down that the topic you created to discuss “John 3:16” was really just intended to argue “Limited vs Universal Atonement”. So my complaint is that your title is misleading and you have not come to discuss what you claim you came to discuss.

I acknowledged my misrepresentation of your position (because that was only fair to do) and expressed disappointment that we were not here to discuss John 3 … which is an amazing chapter in its construction, scope and implications.
 
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