Eternal Life
A Sermon on John 3:16
Originally preached March 3, 1957
Scripture
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.
Sermon Description
In this sermon on John 3:16 titled “Eternal Life,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones breaks down the verse in its context within John, while also calling attention to its profound meaning. The verse itself is spoken by Christ in reply to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who came to Him at night. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the verse places an incredible focus on God’s love for humanity. God did not abandon His creation to suffer within their own sin but instead gave His Son as payment for those sins. Now, Dr. Lloyd-Jones expands upon the new life found within those who believe. This new life is different than those who do not believe. Unbelievers place too much stock within their body and forget about the soul. Without Christ, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, it becomes easy to live for worldly pleasures. However, the Christian’s assurance is a source of great joy. In closing, Dr. Lloyd-Jones extends the prospect of eternal life to those who have not believed, reminding that God does not care about past wrongdoings, but instead offers the same salvation to every soul.
Sermon Breakdown
- God manifests his love by what he gives to us. He gave his only begotten Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- Eternal life is the opposite of perishing. Perishing means being dead in sins, living only for this world and bounded by human capacities. Eternal life is sharing in the life of God.
- Eternal life has two aspects: quality and quantity. Quality means being spiritually alive and thinking about God and spiritual things. Quantity means this life lasts forever even after death.
- God gives eternal life as a gift received through faith alone, not by good works. We can't earn it or make ourselves Christians. We must believe in Christ - accept the truth about his person and work, trust in him, and rest our souls on him.
- Belief means attending to the Word, accepting its truth, trusting it, and acting on it immediately. There's no need to wait or become better qualified. Come as you are.
- "Whosoever" shows God's love is for all people of any nation who believe. No sin is too great to be forgiven. However long you've turned from God, you can come to him and be made clean through Christ's blood.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding God's Love in John 3:16 According to Martyn Lloyd-Jones
What is the central theme of John 3:16 according to Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the central theme of John 3:16 is "the love of God, as it is displayed in the salvation of men." He emphasizes that this verse shouldn't be isolated or treated as an incantation but understood in its context. Lloyd-Jones points out that this was what Jesus was anxious for Nicodemus to grasp above everything else—how God's love is manifested through His Son and the salvation He makes possible.
What does Lloyd-Jones mean by the "manner of God's love" in John 3:16?
Lloyd-Jones distinguishes between the "degree" of God's love (which he covered in a previous sermon) and the "manner" of God's love. The manner of God's love is seen in what God gives to us—eternal life through His Son. It's not just about miracles, teachings, or ethics, but about God giving everlasting life to perishing humanity. The manner refers to how God grants this gift—not as a reward for our efforts but entirely through faith in Christ.
How does Lloyd-Jones define what it means to be "perishing" according to this passage?
According to Lloyd-Jones, to be "perishing" means: - To be "dead in trespasses and in sins" - To be outside the life of God - To be living a life confined to the human and temporal level - To belong to this world rather than to God - To have ideas bounded by life in this world - To be spiritually dead, not alert to spiritual things - To be focused only on bodily, physical, and temporal concerns while neglecting the soul
He describes it as the natural condition of all humanity by birth.
What is "eternal life" according to Lloyd-Jones' interpretation of John 3:16?
Lloyd-Jones defines eternal life in two dimensions:
- As a quality of life:
- Being made spiritually alive
- Awakening to one's soul and spiritual nature
- Knowing God (citing John 17:3)
- Having communion with God
- Experiencing peace and joy
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Sharing the same life that Christ had while on earth
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As a quantity of life:
- Life without end, lasting throughout eternity
- What we experience now is merely the "first fruits" or foretaste
- It lasts through life, through death, and continues eternally
How does one receive eternal life according to Lloyd-Jones' sermon?
According to Lloyd-Jones, eternal life is received: - Entirely and only as a gift from God - Through believing in Christ, not through works or self-effort - By faith alone ("The just shall live by faith") - By believing in Christ's person (accepting that Jesus is the Son of God) - By believing in Christ's work (that He came to save the perishing) - By resting your soul and eternal destiny entirely in Him - Immediately—the moment you believe
Lloyd-Jones strongly emphasizes that "no man has ever made himself a Christian" and that trying to make yourself a Christian through self-effort actually prevents you from becoming one.
What is Lloyd-Jones' interpretation of "whosoever" in John 3:16?
Lloyd-Jones explains that "whosoever" means: - Salvation is for Gentiles as well as Jews (significant because this was said to Nicodemus who thought only Jews could be saved) - It's for people of all nations, tribes, and languages - There are no limitations based on the greatness of one's sin ("however great my trespass") - There are no limitations based on how long one has rejected God ("however long from mercy I may have turned away") - Age is not a barrier—whether young or old - Social position makes no difference
In his words, "There is no hindrance, no obstacle that you can think of. The only thing that matters is, do you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?"
The Book of John
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.