For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Expanded Passage: John 3:13-18
When my children were young, I wanted them to know about the God who loved them. And to know how he gave the precious gift of his only Son to show the depth of his great love. I posted Scripture on index cards and taped them to the mirrors, the fridge, and throughout our home. Deuteronomy 6:7, 9 says, “Impress them [the Lord’s commandments] on your children. . . . Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” It is important to God that his children, young and old, know his Word and how deeply he loves.
Today we see John 3:16 posted on billboards, cars, trucks, buses, at baseball parks, at football arenas, and even in secluded areas. This verse for us is not unlike the commandments were for the Israelites: we keep it on our doorframes, on our gates, and impress it upon our children. I wonder, do people understand the meaning of a love so deep when they read John 3:16? Hopefully, as they encounter this verse, they begin to understand God’s Word and how deeply he loves them.
God’s Son didn’t come to condemn us for wrongdoing, for it says, “Whoever believes in him [Jesus] is not condemned.” His passion for us is that we believe in the “name of God’s one and only Son” (v. 18).
Let the words of John 3:16 sink deep into your heart.
Lora Goff-Pitts has taught Bible classes for forty years at her local Wesleyan church. She is a mother, grandmother, author, and retired teacher. She and her husband, Rex, reside in Noblesville, IN.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
