John 3:17 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

‘For God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world should be saved through him.'

Other (mythical) gods came to the world to condemn it, never to save it, but God's purpose in sending His Son was to save. He wanted to give men eternal life. He wanted to save them from ‘perishing'. And there was only one way to do so, by taking their deserved suffering on Himself. Notice the stress on the fact that Jesus is ‘God-sent'. His sending by the Father is a theme of the Gospel.

Thus God's purpose towards the world is one of love. But this must not lead us into presumption. If we reject that offer of love and refuse to come to His light so that our sins might be revealed, because we love our sins too much, then we face the awful alternative of condemnation.

John 3:17

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