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WHY ISN'T JOHN 3:17 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE?

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Why am I saying John 3:17 is not Christian doctrine? Very simply because 90% of the USA's pulpits contradict it in their teachings. What teachings are those one might ask? You will figure it out with a quick examination of the passage. The Greek word for world in this verse is kosmos. The very same word that most pulpits in America teach God will judge and destroy in the future. That brings us to the Greek word for condemn. It basically means to pass a judicial sentence and carry that sentence out. The word saved is in the general sense because the kosmos cannot be given eternal life. It means healed, preserved, delivered out of a place danger into a place of safety. So the passage literally says God sent Jesus to heal the world rather than condemning it to destruction some day. Is the light bulb going off in some of the readers heads as to why this is not Christian doctrine? Because your church believes and the pastors and teachers teach, that God sent the Son to save individuals but he will judge the world and destroy it with fire some day. Then build a new one.

The contradiction is especially striking because John 3:17 is actually a part the most famous Bible verse in the world. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever trusts in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. One would imagine one of the most quoted Bible verses in the world would merit special attention to the second part of the statement. But it seems to just be treated more like window dressing around John 3:16. This is the article's point. To show it is not window dressing but actually and indisputably the Bibles doctrine on the matter. There are many dozens of chapters in the Bible that verify John 3:17. In this article we'll go though a few passages that do.

Revelation 22: 1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Now according to those who's Christian teachings contradict John 3:17; this passage is a prophecy about a new physical heaven and earth that God will create after he judges our present earth and destroys it. According to their teachings there will be no sin or death in this place anymore- as per this and other passages. Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
The problem with this is the contradictions. Why do the nations need healed by the living water and the tree of life as per Rev. 22:1-2 if by definition they are already healed? To further demonstrate the contradiction, there is sin and death and pain and suffering. Rev. 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, the sexually immoral, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Notice how the bride speaks and says come? How does a physical\literal city speak. We'll get to more passages on this bride shortly. What I want you to take note of is where this living water comes from.

Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman in John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give me drink; you would have asked of him, and he would have given you living water. 11 The woman said unto him, Sir, you hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank of it himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said to her, Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. In another place, John 7: 37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. 38 He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified. So here you see very clearly that the living water is the Holy Spirit and the tree of life is the Word of God, the words of the prophets and apostles. That is why it says twelve fruits, or in Ezekiel's vision of the same thing, twelve trees. Those are just common illustrations of the Word of God coming to us through twelve tribes if Israel, ie the prophets and, the twelve Apostles. About that Word of God. Lets just look for a second at a passage of prophecy on just how the Bible heals the nations. then we'll get back to that bride.

Isaiah 29:18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. 19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 20 For the terrible one is brought to nothing, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: In the book of Daniel chapters 2 & 7 as well as the book of Revelation they prophesied an age of oppression for all believers measured by four gentile empires named as Babylon, Medo\Perisa, Greek and Roman. 597 BC - 1453 AD. It's not as if the gospel bore no fruit in the earth during this time. But it was not until the Bible made its way into the hands of the general public, highly illegal at the time, which began to occur immediately after the fall of that fourth empire that the despotic world ruled by kings, emperors and warlords saw the beginning of their end. That is who the terrible ones in verse 20 is referring to. It was Bible reading peoples who pioneered this present, promised, prophesied growing free world many of us now get to enjoy life in. That is what the healing of the nations means. The destruction of the madness of actually idolatry and the end of an the despotic ancient world. You see, John 3:17 is being fulfilled right before your eyes. Yes, it has to be won by winning souls with the river of life but also politically. You can't have the latter without the former. 7000 years of despotic rule by the terrible ones proved that.

Now lets look at other prophecies about the Bride of Christ and how the living water and Word of God that comes into the earth through her was to heal the earth rather than just save souls for heaven. In Galatians 4 the apostle declares the obvious. That Isaiah 54 is a prophecy of the New Jerusalem, the Bride of God. That is what he is quoting in verse 27- 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, you barren that bore not; break forth and cry, you that travail not: for the desolate has many more children than she which has an husband. 28 Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are the children of promise... Now look how Isaiah 54 accords perfectly with John 3:17. Isaiah 54:1 Sing, O barren, you that did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you that did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, said the LORD. 2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes; 3 For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and your descendants shall inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. See how this prophesies the salvation of what we now know to be billions and through that the nations being healed? That is precisely how, as Jesus said, the meek inheriting the earth happens. Billions get saved, oppressors are overthrown, nations are founded upon varying degrees of objective truth because the Bible is read, and the peoples win their freedom. Yes it is a spiritual AND political war but it has happened just as prophesied. The next verse and a few following them prophesy the age of oppression.4 Fear not; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be you confounded; for you shall not be put to shame: for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more. 5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. 6 For the LORD has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when you were refused, said your God. Look how this age of oppression transitions to nations that are being saved in the next verses. 11 O you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with fair colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires. 12 And I will make your windows of agates, and your gates of carbuncles, and all your borders of pleasant stones. 13 And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children. 14 In righteousness shall you be established: you shall be far from oppression; for you shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near you. 15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake. 16 Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. 17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, said the LORD. Did you see in that last passage how the bride of Christ is not living in a supernatural utopia? She has enemies who rise up against her. But they are defeated. What a marked difference from the ancient world where she lived under oppression and tyranny for more than a millennia. Note dear saint how many of you are that bride not living under the oppression of kings, emperors of dictators but have to fight for that freedom to serve the Lord as you see fit. If you'll think about it. Every want to be dictator or world ruler has failed to conquer the growing free world for centuries now. They rise up, but just like this prophecy says, they fall for your sake. Now lets look at another prophecy about the New Jerusalem.

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen on you. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise on you, and his glory shall be seen on you. 3 And the Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. 4 Lift up your eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to you: your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. 5 Then you shall see, and flow together, and your heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. Once more this accords perfectly with John 3:17. Billions getting saved and the world being transformed through their influence. In the next verses prophecy about her oppression and eventual victory through the healing of the world. 12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted..... 14 The sons also of them that afflicted you shall come bending to you; and all they that despised you shall bow themselves down at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you; The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. 15 Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through you, I will make you an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. It is noteworthy that much of Revelations prophecy about the New Jerusalem are direct quotes from Isaiah 60's prophecy. Again, not a supernatural utopia but exactly what we see. Billions coming to Christ and a world transformed though their influence.

Psalm 22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.

Isaiah 49:6 He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”...8 Thus said the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

Isaiah 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the nations seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that said to Zion, Your God reigns! ..... 10 The LORD has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.... 13 Behold, my servant (the messiah) shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 14 As many were astonished at you; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, (the messiah) whom I uphold; my elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit on him: he shall bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment to truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

Psalm 86: 9 All nations whom you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord; and shall glorify your name.

Can you see in these verses of prophecy how God heals the nations by bringing billions to Christ and through their influence transforming the world that was? One has to realize the circumstances of the ancient world in which these and many other prophecies were written. Outside of small family (tribal) government; the world was ruled by the despotism of kings and emperors. 1\3 to 1\2 of humanity were the property or others. You served the king or you were dead. Idolatry was imposed by the state. In the Roman Empire no one was exempt from idol worship other than the Jews which made everyone hate them even more. The reason for it, the Babylonian system of state imposed idolatry was to separate the people from God, the author of their freedom. Idolatrous-immoral people are easily manipulated and ruled over. The Greek kings slaughtered the Jews in their attempts to Hellenize them. Believe this or not but the LBGTP ruled the world. Human sacrifice was common outside the area's of the world that had some influence from Moses or direct connections back to the religion of Noah. The average life span was half of what it is today mostly due to infant mortality. Famines caused simply due to weather, unheard of today can be read about all through history. Since the worlds elite lived off the slave labor of others, wars to loot their neighbors wealth were the order of the day. Property rights were non existent because the king or emperor could take peoples property, the labor of generations and just give it to his supporters. That was even the law in Rome. New rulers or emperors were allowed to murder as many families as they perceived to be a threat to their rule and distribute the property to his supporters. It's way worse than what I am articulating. We are so far removed from its insanity that we just cannot imagine living under such conditions. I have often copied and pasted the sacrifice and parade scene of Mel Gibson's Apocolypto to convey to people who don't realize the drastic transformation our world has undertaken under heavens influence. Not saying we don't have a million miles to go. But it has become easy to convey we are living out these wonderful prophecies in the Bible like this.

Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18 But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 20 There shall be no more there an infant (who dies in) days, nor an old man that has not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and my elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth (children) for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. 24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: (nations being illustrated by animals,) and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, said the LORD.

The scripture says in a number of places that the "saints shall judge the world." What that means is that the world will accept the saints judgments of right an wrong and truth. The world will accept the judgments of the saints on what kind of human governments we should have. (Republics with constitutions based upon objective truth that limits the power of government.) You see this in the whole world now. No people are not living up to it but they accept it as the standard that we should be living up to. The world knew no such truth back when these prophecies were written. Yes there are still people warring against this. The Bible said they would be. But it also says they will not win. That does not mean they will not kills millions trying. It just says they will not overcome the world God is transforming.

You want to help, to find the purpose you were born for? Turn away from your sin. Get right with God whom you know is inviting you to get right with him. Read your Bible and find out everything you can about what it says of Jesus. Let God become your father by putting your faith in Christ and the Gospel message. Then you can fulfill your destiny as a citizen of heaven, heaven bound and saving the world on heart at a time. What about the end of the world? No concern of yours or any other human being. The Bible's end time prophecy is not about the end of the world but the end of specific kingdoms, empires and ages. Even gives you the dates on some of them. Your in an age that has no prophesied end. So carry on like it will never happen. The Lord will continue to literally and physically come down to earth to judge, oversee calamity and preform promise and prophecy just as he has been doing since the book of Genesis. It is his zeal that is seeing these things preformed, not ours.