OBJ: Using John 3:16 as a demonstration, show that you can not preach the Word of God without conflicting with people's beliefs.

Almost no one enjoys conflict. And certainly people with heart do not relish being offensive and hurting their neighbor. But, if one teaches the gospel of Christ it is not always possible to avoid conflict and those things that follow: offense; hurt; hostility.

"Preach the gospel, but let people alone" is an IMPOSSIBILITY. And if "letting people alone"— avoiding conflict, offense—becomes the criteria, the gospel of Christ WILL NOT BE PREACHED!

The principle: Gal 1:10

The demonstration: John 3:16 - "God's Golden Text" = "God's Expose!"

I.	"FOR GOD" - DENIES ATHEISM

A.	"A" - negative; "Theos" - God. No god.

Multiplied thousands of atheists. Likely work with some, have some as neighbors.

B.	Atheists have:

1.	Feelings

2.	Family (mother, father, grandma...)

3.	Convictions

C.	If preaching gospel in love and with tactfulness means avoiding conflict, not giving offense, nor stirring hostility, WE CAN NOT PREACH JN 3:16!

D.	Atheism is an attempt to escape responsibility for one's wickedness, which is the foundation concept that gives purpose to the gospel! Ps 14:1-3.

II.	"SO LOVED THE WORLD" - DENIES FATALISM

A.	Human events are determined by a non-rational, impersonal force and it beyond the power of man to do anything to change it.(1)i

A God interested and so involved in human affairs that he would intervene with the sacrifice of his own Son when man had sinned and stood condemned, a sacrifice providing man the opportunity to be redeemed if he would return to God in trust and obedience, is outside the cold, hopeless view of fatalism.

B.	God's love manifest daily - Ac 14:17.

"Laws of nature." What, or who, is "nature"?? Laws demand a LAWGIVER

C.	Greatest manifestation - Christ. Ro 5:4-8.

Man now has the opportunity and invitation to "believe" and be saved. Text.

D.	Cannot preach "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD" and let fatalists alone!

III.	"THAT HE GAVE" - DENIES PREMILLENNIALISM

A.	The form of premillennialism that teaches according to OT prophecy the Christ was to come and set up an earthly kingdom like David's, but since the Jews rejected him and crucified him, he set up the church instead and postponed the estab. of the kingdom until his second coming. Makes the crucifixion subversive of God's plan.)ii

But, text says God "GAVE" - the death of Christ was not subversive to God's plan, BUT THE MEANS THROUGH WHICH IT WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED. See vv 14-15 - "lifted up" = "the kind of death he was to die," Jn 12:31-33.

B.	This the very thing the Jews did not understand and was a theme of apostolic preaching. Ac 2:23; 3:18; 26:6...22-23.

C.	Premillennialism a widespread and strongly held tenet. Not only is it found in denominationalism, but also sometimes among members of the church. As painful as it may be, one cannot preach Jn 3:16 in its fulness without running into head to head conflict with premillennialism. And that conflict may not only result in hurt feelings, but division.

IV.	"HIS ONLY BEGOTTON SON" - OPPOSES JEWS AND MODERNISTS

A.	Jews & modernists deny that Jesus is the Divine Son of God. "Only begotten" - Unique, none other like him, i.e., Divine. Jn 1:1-3...14,18.

B.	While it may alienate us from friends, co-workers, and neighbors who are Jews & modernists, belief in this facet of the gospel is a REQUISITE to being SAVED. Jn 20:28...31.

V.	"THAT WHOEVER" - DENIES CALVINISTIC PREDESTINATION

A.	God has predestined certain people to be saved and the others to be lost, and this destiny predetermined by God cannot be changed. If you are predestined to hell, there is NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE THAT)iii

Jesus says "WHOEVER" wills to CAN be saved through faith, vv 14- 21.

B.	Thus the gospel is to be preached to "all creation," Mk 16:15,16. See also:

Ac 10:34-35 - Neither the Jews, nor any other special class, has exclusive rights to God's grace

Ac 17:30 - According to Calvinism, all men CAN'T "repent"!

1 Tim 2:4.

C.	Note: To deny Calvinistic predestination is also to deny Calvinistic doctrine of limited atonement.

D.	Denying Calvinism brings one in conflict with LARGE PART of so called "Christendom." But if one preaches Jn 3:16, it exposes Calvinism, and may well result in people being hurt, offended, or even hostile.

VI.	"BELIEVES" - DENIES UNIVERSALISM AND UNFAITHFULNESS

A.	Universalism - "...all will be saved through the universal redemption of Christ." John H. Gerstner, Baker's Theo. Dict. Universalism does not make belief in the deity of Christ a requisite of salvation (many, if not all deny it), but instead "no minister, member, or congregation 'shall be required to subscribe to any particular interpretation of religion, or to any particular religious belief or creed.'" Frank S. Mead, Handbook of Denominations.

But, Jn 3:16 makes salvation CONDITIONAL upon FAITH and makes the other alternative to "PERISH."

"perish" = apollumi - "a strengthened form ollumi, signifies to destroy utterly; in Middle Voice, to perish. The idea is not extinction but ruin, loss, not of being, but of well-being. This is clear from its use, as, e.g., of the marring of wine skins, Luke 5:37; of lost sheep, i.e., lost to the shepherd, metaphorical of spiritual destitution, Luke 15:4,6,etc.; the lost son, 15:24; of the perishing of food, John 6:27; of gold, 1 Pet 1:7." VN

Those who "perish" are "judged," or, "condemned," (KJV), vv 17-18. This verdict of punishment is as "eternal" as the "life" (Jn 3:16), Mt 25:46.

Mk 16:16

B.	Unfaithfulness - Those who, having once obeyed the gospel in baptism, have grown indifferent, ungodly, or rebellious.

Salvation is contingent on CONTINUING TO BELIEVE - "believeS," "believETH" (KJV, ASV). And it must be a faith THAT WORKS - Jas 2:14ff.

C.	Jn 3:16 is in direct conflict with both universalism and unfaithfulness. To preach it is to preach that many, both outside and inside the church, will be lost in their present condition; and to so preach certainly makes one liable to alienation and hostility due to the offense such preaching gives.

VII.	"IN HIM" - DESTROYS SUBJECTIVISM, SECTARIANISM

A.	To believe "in him" is to HEAR AND OBEY WHAT HE SAID. Mt 7:21-27; 28:19-20.

NOT just to believe anything, as long as sincere (subjectivism), or to believe in tradition (the traditional view of the church), culture, or "authorities," and then to form sects based on these divergent views, all under the umbrella of "Christianity."

Cmpr. vv 14-15. Moses and the serpent.

B.	Preaching this sent Christ to the cross, and his disciples should expect no greater favor, Jn 15:19-21.

VIII.	"SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE" - UPROOTS MATERIALISM

A.	Materialism denies the spiritual - the incorruptible soul, heaven, hell, eternity.

And how they wish it were so, for so much hangs in the balance!

B.	Contrast 2 Cor 4:16ff. Jn 11:25,26.

C.	"God's Golden Text" will not let materialists alone!

CONC

Preachers, teachers must never let possible adverse reactions dictate what they teach. They must:

1.	Be sure to understand and correctly apply word of truth - 2 Tim 2:15

2.	Be sure their attitude is right - Eph 4:15

THEN...

3.	"PREACH THE WORD..." Ac 20:20,27; 2 Tim 4:1-5. THIS IS WHAT WILL SAVE MEN!

Jn 3:16