[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Two Hidden Truths Explain John 3:16

Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins, but what does that mean?

You’ve likely heard of the “sinner’s prayer”; a few words of confession and acceptance of Christ as Savior, and presto—you’re on your way to heaven.

But is that what the Bible says? Many think so, but is it?

If you’ve watched Tomorrow’s World for any length of time, you know this program is different. For one thing, we tell you, “Don’t believe us just because we say it—believe us because you can prove it from your own Bible.”

Another difference is that we are not here to entertain, but to inform—to give you what Paul referred to as “the whole counsel of God.” And you’re not receiving that from your typical Sunday morning preachers.

John 3:16 is sometimes referred to as the “golden verse” and rightfully so, but almost all professing Christians, while familiar with what it says, are woefully ignorant of its full meaning. Now here’s what it says (John 3:16):

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Now on the surface, this passage appears rather straightforward, so what can possibly be misunderstood? What truths are hidden? Simply put, what most people think the verse says is that “God loves us and Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for my sins.”

And that’s true, but in those few words, there are details that are never considered and are obscured by tradition and misconceptions. So let’s take a closer look and break it down.

1. Jesus Is the God of the Old Testament

1. Hidden truth number one is the identity of Jesus prior to His human birth.

Few stop to ask this question, yet the Bible gives the answer, and it’s a surprising answer. Professing Christians often pit the God of the Old Testament against the God of the New Testament, thinking the Old Testament God was harsh and demanding, but Jesus came along to do away with His Father’s unrealistic demands. But nothing could be further from the truth, and this brings me to the importance of knowing who Jesus was. The Apostle John was close to Jesus and the last living of the original twelve. At the beginning of the book bearing his name, John tells us this about who He was:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God (John 1:1–2).

Now whoever this was who was with God from the beginning, and who was also God, is revealed in verse 14.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

Yes, the Word, the Spokesman of God, became flesh. So Jesus was the Spokesman of the God family and was with God the Father from the beginning. But notice something else about Him—go back to verse 3.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made (John 1:3).

Now how many realize, that prior to His human birth, Jesus was the One through whom all things were made? And what is meant by all things? The answer is found in Colossians 1:15–18:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Clearly the one spoken of here, who created all things, is Jesus Christ. It was through Him that all things were made, and all things include the heavens and the earth, the visible and invisible—everything. This is confirmed in Hebrews 1:1–2.

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.

Why is this not generally understood? And why is this important? It’s important because the role of Jesus, prior to His human birth, has relevance for the New Covenant doctrines. Contrary to common thinking, it was not the Father who thundered the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai, but the one who became Jesus Christ.

No One Has Seen God the Father

Write these scriptures down and prove this for yourself.

No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (John 1:18).

This simple truth, that no one has seen God the Father at any time, is confirmed in John 6:45–46.

It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.” Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.

74 Men Saw God (Jesus Christ) at Mount Sinai

However, we read that God was seen at Mount Sinai, and that by 74 men. Here it is in Exodus 24 and beginning in verse 9:

Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank (Exodus 24:9–11).

Do clear, easy-to-understand scriptures contradict themselves? If so, the Scriptures cannot be trusted. The simple truth is found in the first four verses of 1 Corinthians 10.

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and [get it, here it is] that Rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1–4).

Yes, as we read in John 1, there are two Beings referred to as God, and one of them came in the flesh to redeem man. He was the Creator of all things, including man, and was thus able to exchange His life for ours.

• So hidden truth number one: The identity of Jesus prior to His human birth.

2. True Believers Obey God

John 3:16 tells us:

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

And this leads us to our second hidden truth.

2. Hidden truth number two: True belief requires obedience.

Many turn to Paul’s statement in Romans 10:11, 13 as the only requirements for salvation.

For the Scripture says, “whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:11).

And then in verse 13:

For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Both quotes come from the Old Testament prophets of Isaiah and Joel, respectively, and they are absolutely true, but what does it mean to believe?

Belief and Obedience vs. Unbelief and Disobedience

Those Israelites who came out of Egypt failed in their quest for the promised land, and even the next generation who physically entered it failed to find God’s rest. Why? Hebrews 3, beginning in verse 16 explains.

For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? (Hebrews 3:16).

Notice the subject is rebellion, continuing in verse 17.

Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief (Hebrews 3:17–19).

There is a direct connection between belief and obedience. And this is explained later in Hebrews 11:6.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

“Even the Demons Believe”

But even believing is not enough as Jesus’ half-brother James explained. Notice it in chapter 2, beginning in verse 19.

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:19–20).

Love is often pitted against the law of God. We know that we are saved by grace, but does that mean that belief is all we need and that we don’t have to keep the commandments? Not at all.

And this is why hidden truth number one is knowing the identity of Jesus prior to His human birth.

As shown in an earlier portion of this program, He was the one who thundered the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai, but many professing Christians erroneously believe it was God the Father who spoke from the mountain and communed with Moses.

Furthermore, they think He only got nine out of ten correct and His Son had to come to straighten that out. Now they don’t say it that way, but what other conclusion can we come to when they endorse all the commandments except one? They agree with the commandments against having another god before the true God, honoring one’s parents, and not committing murder or adultery, not stealing or lying, but they reject the command to remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy—thinking the seventh day is replaced by the first day of the week, or that it is totally unnecessary.

However, when a Pharisee, a lawyer, tested Jesus with this question:

Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? (Matthew 22:36)

The One who, prior to His human birth, gave the Ten Commandments, responded in verse 37.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).

How to Love God—and How to Love Your Neighbor

A careful look at the Ten [Commandments] shows that the first four teach us how to love God, and the last six teach us how to love our neighbor. And James explains that all ten are still in effect (James 2:10).

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty (James 2:10–12).

You may ask, “Why such emphasis on law in relationship to John 3:16?” The answer is obvious. Why did the Father give His Son and why did Christ die for us? Was it not to pay the penalty for our sins? And if so, does it not make sense for us to know the biblical definition of sin?

What Is Sin? Breaking the Laws of God

People have many personal ideas about what sin is. Some think running around on one’s mate, viewing pornography, going to movies on Sunday. Others think drinking alcohol, coffee, tea, or soft drinks containing caffeine constitute sin.

And at an earlier time, many believed dancing or playing cards were sins.

Still others sum it up by saying, “Anything that hurts others.” Of course, by that definition, if one does something that he believes (sometimes erroneously) does not hurt anyone else, it must not be a sin.

So why don’t people simply look to the biblical definition found in 1 John 3:4?

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4, King James Version).

Answers from Bible Verses: What Is Love?

The Apostle John, is known as the “apostle of love” since he spoke so much about love. You’ll see that if you read his first letter where he uses the word love 36 times in five short chapters. Not only does he twice tell us that God is love (1 John 4:8, 16), but he also tells us that we must love one another. Now write this down and look it up in your own Bible.

In 1 John 2:3–6, he connects knowing God and keeping the commandments. Furthermore, he tells us we must walk as Jesus walked and that the love of God is perfected in us when we obey him. Here it is in 1 John 2:3–6:

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked (1 John 2:3–6).

If You Love God, Keep His Commandments

And let us not forget what John wrote in this same letter in chapter 5, and verses 2 and 3.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:2–3).

No, they are NOT burdensome as some deceivers claim.

So hidden truth number two: True belief requires obedience.

“For God So Loved the World”

John 3:16 begins with this statement:

For God so loved the world….

Now what could possibly be hidden in those six words, you may wonder. Actually, far more than you can possibly imagine, but you’ll have to order our free resource for a complete explanation.

However, let’s focus on the one word—world. One of the most erroneous doctrines in false Christianity is that God is trying to save the whole world today, but this is neither biblical nor fair.

Consider the fact that through most of the last 2,000 years, the majority of mankind knew nothing about Jesus Christ. Consider the aboriginal man in Australia who died a week after Christ’s crucifixion—what chance did he have? Will God judge him by what he does not understand? Not according to Acts 4:10, 12;

Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole…. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

One foolish man once told me regarding someone who had never heard of the name of Jesus Christ that if he wanted to know Christ, God would have gotten the word to him. But how ridiculous, as seen even by the Apostle Paul, where he explains it in Romans 10:14.

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

No indeed! Not everyone who has lived has even heard of Christ. And consider the unfairness to those born in parts of the world where Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Atheism, and a host of other “isms” are the rule.

This is to say nothing of the various forms of professing Christianity with a multitude of different doctrines. How can they all be right?

Does God save the children of so-called Christians if they take their babies to be sprinkled upon when those babies don’t have a clue what is happening to them? Are all others lost? Or does God automatically save all children who die early in life prior to understanding what sin is and what God did for mankind nearly 2,000 years ago?

Many of you have been tormented by the thought of a lost loved one writhing in pain for eternity in an ever-burning hell fire, as taught by mainstream Christianity. But this is simply not biblical.

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