Whoever?

John 3:16

332,403,650! That is the estimated US population in 2022. 7,868,872,451 is the estimated world population in 2022. Those numbers are so big that we honestly cannot even comprehend them. When we get among a crowed of a few thousand it can feel overwhelming. If you have ever been to a UGA football game, then you have seen a crowd of almost 93,000. It would take 3,575 Sanford Stadiums to hold all of the people in the United States.

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“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

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We judge people as good or bad based on our own personal scale of good and evil. We each hold different behaviors to differing degrees of good or unforgiveable. For instance, a cheater does not view someone he/she is cheating with as a terrible person. However, the person he/she is cheating on may have a VERY different view of the cheating. We can justify almost any behavior if we want to. Just look at NAZI Germany. Many did not see a problem with the atrocities that were carried out in the name of the "Vaterland" (Fatherland). The reality is that God sees all sins as vile and repulsive rebellion to His holy and righteous nature. Thus, we all need forgiveness for our sins, and salvation from the consequences of our sins.

In John 3:16, one of my favorite words is the word "whoever" or "whosoever" in the King James. It is a short 3 letter Greek word (pas) that means "all, every, each, any, the whole". In other words, it is all inclusive. This is not to say that everyone is or will be saved and go to Heaven. What it does mean is that all who believe in Him (the only begotten Son) will be saved!

The call and availability to be saved is open to EVERYONE. However, salvation is exclusive to only those who believe. Paul wrote "For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). It could be said, "For each one...", "For everyone...", For all who call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved". The availability is to all, but the realization is only to those who do the calling.

David wrote:

“I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;

So shall I be saved from my enemies.”

Psalm 18:3

What greater enemies do we have than Satan, death, and hell?

Father, thank You for making Your salvation available to everyone. You are worthy to be praised! I pray that if anyone reads this who does not know You as their Savior, that they would call upon Your Name, and receive Your Son as the payment for their Sins.