Does John 3:16 Teach That Salvation is Easy?

Besides perhaps Genesis 1:1, the most well known Bible verse is John 3:16.  This might very well not be the case if its implications were widely comprehended.

John 3:16: “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.”

This needs to be understood in light of everything else which the Bible teaches.

Consider Revelation 3:16: “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

Few Christians really believe that lukewarm Christians will go to hell.  Most who know John 3:16 do not adequately account for what is written in Revelation 3:16.  

Galatians 3:16 says: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.  He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”

If Christians esteemed Galatians 3:16 as much as they claim to esteem John 3:16, they would utterly condemn support of a nation on the basis of its inhabitants being natural descendants of Abraham.  Most do not do that.  That is demonstrated by their refusal to firmly stand against the exceedingly wicked nation that feigns itself as America’s greatest ally.

Why would anyone be a reliable guide concerning John 3:16 if they do not really believe Galatians 3:16 and Revelation 3:16? 

Consider that mankind descended into spiritual death in Genesis through refusal to be subject to the true God’s authority.  Adam and Eve found out the hard way that those who will not be subject to Him cannot have fellowship with Him.  On the very same day that they chose to go their own way in transgression, they lost the eternal life which was within them.  That is, they lost the spiritual life which they had by virtue of being rightly related to their Creator.  What is said in John 3:16 is not a negation of the eternal principle which is seen in this.

Hebrews 2:8-9: “Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet.  For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.  But now we see not yet all things put under him.  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

He tasted death for all to bring people under His righteous authority.  No one can partake of His redemption in any other context.  Jesus is a risen King who will yet condemn those at enmity with Him after He returns and takes the direct control over all which justly belongs to Him.

Mark 8:34-35: “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.”

The preceding verses do not contradict John 3:16.  They rather complement John 3:16.  Simply reading the verses following verse 16 in John chapter 3 is another of many Biblical proofs of that.  Proclaiming Jesus’ promise of eternal life in any other context is deceit which cannot deliver anyone from the broad road to hell.  Eternal life is only for those who forsake the broad road of commitment to sin in order to be subject to His Word.  This sums up the narrow way to life.  Faith in Jesus which doesn’t actually cause one to enter and walk on that narrow way is dead.  The life that those who exercise a living faith in Him receive now is a deposit of spiritual life rather than fullness of life in God’s presence.  No one can inherit the fullness of eternal life without enduring in the narrow way to life until the end.

Matthew 24:10-13: “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  And because iniquity (i.e. lawlessness) shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

In order to conclude that John 3:16 teaches salvation is easy, one would have to omit or twist many other things in the Bible.  

Proverbs 11:1 says: “A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.”

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