John 3:16 and the Word "World"

                                                      "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   KJV



                                                              **********


          So far, in our study of John 3:16, we've seen that: 1) there is no comparable Greek
     WORD for "whosoever," but it's actually a phrase pas ho pisteuwn, which means
     "all the believing ones," or "everyone believing:"
                                                                      and
           2) the word "so" (Greek houtos) does not mean that God loved the world
     soooooooooo much, but of the almost 200 times it is used in the New Testament,
     almost without exception, it is an adverb of MANNER, not DEGREE.    The word
     "so" in this verse means "in this manner," or "in this way."
     This is how God showed His love - by giving His Son.


                                                           **********


          Now, let's examine the meaning of the word "world" in John 3:16.

          To truly understand John 3:16, we must know what the word "world" means,
     and that takes some careful study, and diligently comparing the word in parallel
     passages.
          There are AT LEAST TEN different meanings for the word "world" (Greek-cosmos)
     used in John's gospel.
          (Source: John Samson -Effectual Grace Blog)
         

           1.The Realm of mankind           
           2.The entire universe                 
           3.All humanity minus believers

                          "He was in the world (1), and though the world (2) was made
                           through Him, the world (3) did not recognize Him."
                                                                             John 1:10


           
          (Here, the word "world" has three different meanings in a single sentence).

          4.The physical earth

                          "It was just before the Passover Feast.  Jesus knew that the
                           time had come for Him to leave this world (4) and go to the
                           Father.
                                                                            John 13:1

          5.The world system

                         "Now is the time for judgment on this world (5) ...
                                                                          John 12:31a


          6.A big group, but less than all people everywhere

                        "Look at how the whole world (6) has gone after Him."
                                                                          John 12:19b

          (Obviously, not every single person in the whole world went after Jesus, but many
            people had).

         7.The elect only (people from every tribe, language, people, and nation - Rev 5:9)
            
                       (The elect are God's chosen people from all over the world.)

                       "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, TO GOD'S ELECT, strangers in the
                        world, ... who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God
                        the Father, through the sanctifying work of the  Spirit, for obedience to
                        Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood ... " 
                                                                                         1 Peter 1:1-2


                       (Jesus said), "For I did not come to judge the world (7), but to save it."
                                                                                                  John 12:47b

                      (Jesus said), "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven
                                           and gives life to the world (7)."
                                                                                                 John 6:33

        8.The non-elect only

                      (Jesus prayed), "I pray for them.  I am NOT praying for the world (8), but for
                                                those you have given me, for they are yours."
                                                                                                John 17:9

           Jesus intercedes with the Father only for His people, not for the rest of the world.

       9.Jews and Gentiles (not just Israel but many Gentiles too)

                    " ... now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is
                      the Savior of the world (9)."
                                                                                               John 4:42

          The Jews thought they were the only ones who could be saved, but Jesus taught
     them that the gospel and salvation was for all people, including Gentiles.

      10.The general public (as distinguished from a private group) - not those in small
           private groups.

                  "Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world (10)."
                                                                                              John 7:4b


          As you can see, the word "world" does not necessarily mean "every single person
     in the whole world."  It can have many different meanings.



                                                                **********


          To determine what the word "world" means in John 3:16, we need to look at
     other parallel passages: John 3:17-18, Romans 8:1, Matthew 1:21, and Revelation 5:9.


                 "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe
     stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and
     only Son."     John 3:18

          So we see that the one who believes is NOT condemned, but the one who does not
     believe stands condemned already because of his continued disbelief in God's Son.

         
                  "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus ..."
                                                                                              Romans 8:1


          Who is not condemned by Jesus?  Those who believe and are in Him.  Jesus did not 
    come into the world to condemn those who believe. He came to save them.
                 
          God did not send His son to save those who are already condemned.

                                                            *****
                                         
                 " ... and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and
     language and people and nation."   Revelation 5:9

          Jesus' blood bought people from all over the WORLD.


          Now, we can see why God sent His Son into the world - to save His people, from
     all over the world.

                   The angel said to Joseph, " ... and you are to give him the name Jesus, because
     he will save his people from their sins." 
                                                                                               Matthew 1:21


                 "For God did not send His Son into the world (physical earth) to condemn the
     world (those who believe, the elect of God - 'men from every tribe and language and  
     people and nation' - Rev 5:9), but to save the world (those who believe, the elect of
     God, - 'men from every tribe and language and people and nation' - Rev 5:9) through
     Him."
                                                                                                John 3:17
                                                                                         


             Who are the people who were ransomed, purchased, and atoned for by Jesus' death 
    on the cross, for God?   Those who believe, the elect of God, from all over the WORLD.


          They, and only they, are the ones who will be saved.


                                                        **********


          Arthur W. Pink wrote this about  John 3:16:

          "The principal subject of John 3:16 is Christ as the Gift of God. 
     The first clause, tells us what moved God to "give" His only Son, and that was His
     "love;"  the second clause informs us for whom God "gave" His Son, and that is
     "whosoever" (or better, 'everyone') believeth;" while the last clause makes known
     why God "gave" His Son (His purpose) and that is, that everyone who believeth
     'should not perish, but have everlasting life.'

          "That 'the world' in John 3:16 refers to the world of believers (God's elect), in
     contradistinction from 'the world of the ungodly' (2 Peter 2:5), is established,
     unequivocally established, by comparison of the other passages which speak of
     God's 'love.'

          " 'God commendeth His love toward US' -- the saints, Romans 5:8.
          'Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth' -- every son, Hebrews 12:6.
          'We love Him, because He first loved US -- believers, 1 John 4:19.

         " 'The wicked God pities' (Matthew 18:33).
           Unto the unthankful and evil, God is 'kind' (Luke 6:35).
           The 'vessels of wrath' He endures with much longsuffering (Romans 9:22).

        " But 'His own' God loves !!"


                                                                **********


          Dr. James White also wrote about John 3:16:

                 " 'Whosoever' means 'everyone believing.'  An ongoing faith, saving faith.
     Everyone who believes in Jesus will find Him to be a perfect Savior and have eternal
     life.
                "God's love is demonstrated to all the world through His mercy, justice, holiness,
     patience, kindness, etc.

               "God gave His unique Son in order that eveyone believing in Him should not
     perish, but have eternal life."
 

                                     "For God so loved the world (men from every tribe and language
                                      people and nation), that He gave His only begotten Son, that
                                      whosoever (everyone believing) believeth in Him should not perish, but
                                      have everlasting life."
                                                                                            John 3:16