"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
For several years I [Eugenia Price, the author] wrote and directed a dramatic Christian radio program, which originated in Chicago. One cold, snowy winter night a man came to the studio where the broadcast was produced to tell me that two weeks ago one of the actors had misread John 3:16. This was his complaint:
"Whoever read it said, 'whosoever believeth on him should not perish'; and my Bible says, 'whosoever believeth in him...'"
After he was gone, I thought, "The whole world is sitting on an atomic bomb pile and that poor man traveled all the way from northern Wisconsin to correct us on a preposition!" I was grateful for his interest. No doubt when I wrote the script in the first place, I made the error. My Bible said: "Whosoever believeth in," but this true story has no value to us whatever unless it startles us afresh with the tremendous content of John 3:16.
So much has been written about it by many more learned than I, but I have experienced it and what we will share is very simple. Actually, John 3:16, which has been called "the twenty-five most important words in history," is very simple. As we look at it among our collection of "red stones" that show God's love, I would only call your attention to God's motive for "giving." You know it, but look again. His motive is love. True, "... there is no remission of sins except by the shedding of blood" and we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ; but even before the blood was poured out, love was in operation in the divine heart. Giving always comes out of love. Love cannot sit by itself and not give.
"For God so loved the world ... that he gave ..."
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