“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” (John 3:16). That is one of the most memorized and quoted verses in the Bible. Psalm 23 and John 3:16 are among the first scripture taught to our young. But do we really know what John 3:16 is telling us? God, the Supreme Deity, gave to the world His Son. The Son of God is a gift from our Father in Heaven. Everyone has been given at least one Gift, the Son of God. Paul was so moved by the Gift that he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Paul wrote that, ” the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20). Paul wasn’t writing about a spiritual life, but his life in the flesh. Jesus, who is the Son of God, came in the flesh as the Son of Man. It was the Son of Man that lived a righteous life and gave His righteousness to us. It was the Son of Man, in the flesh, that was beaten and put on the cross for our salvation. It was the Son of Man that went into the tomb. “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40).

Peter wrote his second epistle, “To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1). Isaiah wrote of the same precious righteousness, “‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me,’ Says the LORD” (Isaiah 54:17). Everyone is given at least one Gift, the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17).

As with any gift, the Gift from God has to be accepted. It is written that Jesus said, “You do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (John 5:38-40). God gave to us His Son “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16), but even those that search the scripture may not believe the One sent. “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come” (Matthew 22:2-3).

Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me” (John 13:20) “When the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (John 15:26). Everyone is given at least one gift, the Spirit of truth that testifies of Jesus Christ. God doesn’t force us to believe, but He gives to us what we need to believe. The Supreme God sent His Son into the creation, as part of the creation, to be our righteousness and our Savior. God has given to us righteousness, His righteousness. God, Father and Son, has sent the Spirit who proceeds from the Father to us. What we do with the Gift is up to us.

© 2006, Tim D. Coulter Sr.