Peace.
The verse John 3:16 was originally spoken to Nicodemus who was having a hard time believing in what Jesus was saying to him.
Nicodemus’s response to the words of Jesus: “How can these things be?”
John 3:9-12 KJV (9) Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? (10) Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a
master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Nicodemus was not receiving the Son’s witness who was sent by the Father to speak the heavenly testimony. Jesus: “we speak that we do know and testify that we have seen and you don’t receive our witness”.
(11) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. (12) If I
have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye
believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Whosoever shall believe “in” ….that is, INTO (Greek: εἰς )…Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in (INTO) him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
The Son comes to give us an understanding so that we may know Him who is true (1 John 5:20). He opens the Scriptures to our minds as He speaks words of eternal life and spirit.....His witness....His testimony.
He speaks to us in the voice of the Spirit of Truth and we are to hear His testimony which comes from heaven.
He must increase and we must decrease (John 3:30) as we believe into Him…..as every argument within us is brought down as well as every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God until all thoughts are made captive unto the obedience of Christ. We must humble ourselves at the hearing of His voice in order to receive what is said and to enter into greater understanding.
As John the Baptist said in John 3, the Son testifies about what He has seen and heard ….and yet no man received His testimony. But those who stand still and hear Him rejoice greatly to hear His voice.
John 3:29-36 KJV (29) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him,
rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy
therefore is fulfilled.
He that speaks from Heaven must increase but we who are on earth and hear must decrease as we hear His voice speaking in the Spirit of Truth. Some will hear and rejoice while others will resist and not receive what He says. Those who resist His words will not "decrease"....not humbling themselves toward Him.
(30) He must increase, but I must decrease. (31) He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and
speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. (32)
And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man
receiveth his testimony.
The person who does receive (believing into Him progressively) His testimony has set to his seal that God is true.
(33) He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. (34) For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of
God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. (35) The
Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
He that believes into the Son has everlasting life and he that believes not (stubbornly resists in unbelief ofwhat he hears the Son saying) shall not see life.
(36) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth
on him.
At the revelation of Jesus Christ (as He opens up the Scriptures to our understanding), we are to gird up the loins of our minds and be “sober” and not found “drunk” on the wine of wrath towards what we hear Him saying. We must "decrease".
1 Peter 1:13-16 KJV (13) Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto
you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (14) As obedient children, not
fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
(15) But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all
manner of conversation; (16) Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I
am holy.
Again, the Lord comes to open up our minds to the Scriptures and we are to hear His voice and put off the former behavior of the old man and be renewed in the spirit of our minds and to put on the “new man”. We must make an effort to be found of Him “watching” at the moment we hear His voice speaking.
Ephesians 4:20-24 KJV (20) But ye have not so learned Christ; (21) If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the
truth is in Jesus: (22) That ye put off concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts; (23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (24) And that
ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness.
The “new wine” (the heavenly testimony of Jesus that does not align with the private interpretations of men…the old wine) must be put into “new bottles” ….those who put on the “new man” in the renewing of the spirit of the mind.
Luke 5:36-39 KJV (36) And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both
the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new
agreeth not with the old.
The “old man” who will resist the testimony of the Lord….the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ…and will not be able to receive His witness as the “new wine” spills out and the bottles perish. Those that will not believe into the Son shall not see life and will not retain His words of life and spirit within them in their unbelief.
(37) And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
But whoever shall believe into Him has everlasting life as they will receive and keep His testimony as both the new wine and the person who puts on Christ (the new man) shall both be preserved.
(38) But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
We believe into Him as it is progressive for no man have drunk the “old wine” immediately desires the new. It is something that takes effort (doing well at the hearing of His voice).
Believing is doing. It is active.
*(39) No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better
.*
Thanks for reading and considering.