2/7/26 The Authority of the World View

The conclusion of the series is upon us, as there has been a deep look at the purposes & intents of John 3:16 it demanded that we take into context the following five verses. V16 is a beautiful statement of the gift the Father gave the world but the reality of it is that it was rejected by the majority of because as we have discovered, the light aspect that emerges in V19 is the actual Presence of God through his Son that brings a revealing is the light that the darkness hates, because the deception of those who operate in darkness are operating in obscurity hate God. As we move into V21 there is a new word brought into the equation.

John 3:16-2116 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

To understand the depth of this you must go back to the premise of the series. Exposure is the main component here. It is not mere carnal humanity but what has been seen and done through God. This is tied to connection and relationship as it goes back to the first point of the series and the first message. God the Father sees a problem mankind has & offers the solution through himself by the giving of his Son. His Son, Jesus Christ is the one who did what we could not do because he is holy, his is righteous & did not sin, overcame the world system & lures & operated in absolute obedience to the Father carrying out his will. The world has the opportunity but as we learned in the last wo weeks there are those who hate God, those who are operating in the belief God does not see their unrighteousness & hate God because he knows of it.

The depth continues with a very interesting phrasing about believing in the Son of God in that those operating in darkness they do so because they do not believe in the name of God’s only begotten Son. This seems a bit strange, why is not just believing in the Son of God himself.

The name is essential in carrying out the Great Commission:

  • “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
  • Apostolic practice centers on Jesus’ Name (Acts 2:38; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:5).
  • The book of Acts highlights the authority of the risen Lord.

The name is so important in prayer.

Jesus promises, “Whatever you ask in My name, I will do” (John 14:13-14; John 16:23-26). Prayer “in the name” signifies alignment with His will, reliance on His merits, and confidence in His authority.

Societal repercussions will be met when you operate in the name.

  • Jesus forewarns, “You will be hated by all on account of My name” (Matthew 10:22; John 15:21).
  • The apostles rejoice “that they had been counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name” (Acts 5:41).
  • Paul must “suffer for My name” (Acts 9:16).
  • Peter exhorts, “If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God in that name” (1 Peter 4:16).

It is through the name, the authority that salvation & justification can occur in the heavenly courts

All of this is tied to the only son. Why is this stated? There are going to be imposters. This comes down to belief in the right article. Jesus departs those who did miraculous things because they do not know him. Matthew 7:23. They did these things in his name. But did not know him. Because they did not love the light. The love of the light is a love of being in the presence of God & welcoming the understanding of our fallen nature, activities & the need for a Savior. We are called to Live by truth live by light. The verse says coming into the light means living by truth.

This light is exposing you to yourself, maybe to others. This is not the functional light we all live by & need. In our world light is represented in this world by Fire, lightning, sun, stars & electricity. The phrase here is very direct, Lives by, as in way of life to see truth, even if it within yourself & it humbles you. That is the breadth of what this verse means.

Verse 16 declares the world is the intended recipient of the gift with no limitations no bias no qualifications merely believing in the son of God and what he did and accepting it. The problem we chase darkness that’s last week message, and in doing so do not fulfill the potential and do not live up to capability and are blind to see our need for truth because we need a savior from the sewage pit darkness has made the world to be because we are operating in the deception that all that matter is the here & now, the material physical world instead of the truth of God.

But when you operate in the light, you are wrapped in the righteousness of Christ. You have drawn near, you have been exposed & come forward recognizing you need for Jesus more than your need for the world.

  • When you are exposed you pray in his name. You get saved & justified in his name.
  • You get baptized in his name. You worship in his name.
  • You give thanksgiving in his name.
  • You show Him reverence in his name, you see there is so much more than what you see
  • because when you operate you do so in his name,
  • you are used for spiritual signs & wonders in his name.
  • Demons are expelled in his name, healing occurs in his name.
  • When you teach & show the example you are to do so in his name.
  • You will face rejection by the world because of his name.

God so love the world that he gave his only begotten Son so that whoever believes, is exposed by him, believes in him will not perish by have life with God everlasting!