John 3:17 (NKJV)

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Bible Commentary

John 3:17 is a Bible verse in the New Testament where Jesus is explaining God’s purpose for sending Him into the world. The two key words in this verse are “condemn” and “saved,” a stark contrast from one another. Let’s take a look at the example of “condemn,” which Jesus gave in John 3:14,

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

After God had delivered the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt by Moses, they became “impatient because of the long journey. The people spoke against God and Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food.’” (Numbers 21:4-5).

Saved from Condemnation

Instead of being grateful for their long-awaited freedom from slavery and oppression, and embracing their adventure of faith in the wilderness with God, they complained about what they didn’t have.

Their wrong attitude and ungrateful hearts drew the anger of God, and in Numbers 21:6, “The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.” When condemnation came, the people recognized they had sinned against a sovereign God and His chosen instrument.

This is an example of a just punishment—condemnation. All of us have complained about something—either silently by our attitude or out loud where others could hear. Make no mistake, God not only hears all of our words, but our hearts as well.

And yet, He has not… click to continue