John 3:17 – Not Condemned, But Saved

John 3:17

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

This verse follows the famous John 3:16 verse which most Christians have memorized. This verse amplifies verse 16. God did not send Jesus to condemn but to save.

When God announced the birth of Jesus to Joseph He said, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus came to save.

And in fact that is what happened. Jesus saved the world. Jesus died for everyone in the world. Jesus didn’t condemn. The world was already condemned. The next verse makes it clear (v18) that those who believe will be saved. Those who don’t are already condemned.

Though Jesus redeemed the whole world, only those who believe in Him would partake of His redemption. Jesus didn’t come to judge the world. The word translated condemn is to judge. Jesus didn’t judge man’s sins and send people to eternal damnation. In fact, Jesus actually took the judgment of every person’s sins upon Himself on the Cross.

Jesus didn’t come to judge the world but to be judged on the world’s behalf. There would be no salvation apart from Jesus. Through His death we can be saved. There is salvation in no other. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

There would have been no salvation unless God had sent His son. Through the finished work of Jesus on the cross we are saved and are now under no condemnation (Romans 8:1).

Through Jesus, God has offered salvation to anyone who accepts it. God does not make you accept salvation if you don’t want it or think you don’t need it. Regardless of what you believe, God holds the offer of salvation to the very end of your life. You might say I don’t believe in God, but God says I believe in you. I’m not willing to see anyone perish. That is why I provided The Way.