Unfortunately, the difficulty I have in promoting the video stems from the visual posting of the scripture John 3:16. Instead of citing the verse in its original translated rendering, the speaker posted a "revised" version of the scripture from one of the numerous modern day Bibles that no longer conveys the original intended gospel message. Allow me to explain.
John 3:16 is a verse that is oft repeated in the public space. Many preachers use the scripture as a basis for salvation and everlasting life. Some suggest that the main point of this verse refers to "the way God loved the world" pointing to an earlier verse that states, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up." Still, others read further in the chapter, citing Jesus who stated, "He that believeth on Him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the "name" of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18) All these points are valid.
Rarely, however, do we hear anyone raising concerns about the recent arbitrary removal of the word "begotten" from John 3:16. This is where I take issue with the video and likewise, the numerous easy to read Bibles that are flooding the marketplace these days. Posting John 3:16 using "the one and only Son" instead of "begotten" -- as the gospel message was originally translated in the King James version -- removes the most critical tenet within the gospel.
That is, the same Lord God who created us in the beginning became as one of us -- as the only begotten Son -- our Saviour -- so that you and I would not perish but have everlasting life. The same Jehovah in the old covenant willingly became our Saviour. The same Yahwey took upon Himself sin-prone flesh so that our sins could be forgiven. The same I AM in the old covenant was the same "Before Abraham was, I AM" in the new testament -- willingly shedding His precious blood for you and me. (John 8:58)
This tenet of our faith should be front and centre -- the foundation in which our salvation is based. How can we worship God if we do not know His name? How can we say we are believers/disciples of the Most High King if we do not know who the Most High King is?
And just in case the message is still not clear, John 3:16 is not the only time that "begotten" is mentioned in the Bible. The gospel of John emphasizes this point repeatedly, reinforcing the tenet of the Godhead as critical to understanding the greatest love story ever told. Indeed, in the first chapter of the gospel according to John, we read:
"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not .... that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name; which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only "begotten" of the Father) full of grace and truth." (John 1:1-14)
John understood who Jesus was -- "For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:9) John knew that when Jesus said "I and my Father are one" it was because He and the Father were one. So did Thomas when he thrust his hand into Jesus' side and said, "My Lord and my God."
John 1:18 states: "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him." But as we know, John did not stop preaching the very foundation in which our salvation comes. Throughout the gospel and then forward into the epistles, John always pointed to Jesus as "God with us." (Matthew 1:23)
In I John 4:9-12, John wrote: "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us ..."
But we just don't get this message from John. Other witnesses from the scriptures understood this foundation too. Timothy wrote: "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (I Timothy 3:16)
When we live in a world where everything is quickly becoming a throw-away, let's not throw away the most precious truth that this world has ever known. The greatest love story ever told! "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God; therefore, the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." (I John 3:1)
"For unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called -- Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8,11; 22:13) "Fear not. I am the first and the last; I am He that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys to hell and of death." (Revelation 1:18) "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches -- I AM the root of David and the bright and morning star." (Revelation 22:16) One Lord, one faith, one baptism. (Ephesians 4:5-15)
This is the same Lord God who said,
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." (Luke 4:18)
The only begotten of the Father. Not a person of God but God Himself in the flesh because He loved us -- His creation -- from the beginning of time, even before the world was formed.
Therefore, the next time you are told that Jesus is a "one and only Son" or the "third person" in a tri-une God, rather than the "only begotten," stand firm on what the scriptures state. Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 1:3-4) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all - Amen. Stand in the offering plate.
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