From [1] previous posts, we know that “God loves the [2] system (arrangement) He created in such a way that He gives His Son”.

In the same way that the original Greek tense for “loved” is indefinite tense - not past, present or future but indefinite - and should be rendered “loves”; the same is true of “gave”. The word “gave” is indefinite, and the most accurate rendering is “gives”. God loves and gives, not loved and gave.

So then, to whom, when, how, where does He give, and so what?

My study of the word “gives” exposed my misunderstanding of the word. In fact, the traditional evangelical, fundamental teaching would be better served with the word “rewards”. We have been taught that God’s gift is a reward for our belief, or behavior, or membership, or our giving, or our ability to imitate the Son by being like him - Christlike.

“Giving” and “rewarding” have different meanings. Paul taught this in [3] Romans 4:4 when he contrasted a reward versus a gift in the same way of payment of a debt versus grace.

If God rewarded the world with His Son, then the world would have something to be proud of, because the reward would be a payment of a debt - something God owes the world. This is not the way God gives His son, because He owes us nothing. He gives His Son, but does not reward the world with His Son.

I once attended a birthday party where the birthday-boy received a very special gift from his parents “because he got straight A’s”, along with his regular “just because” gifts. When he opened his reward “gift”, he talked about himself, was inwardly focused, and replayed the hard work he exerted to receive the reward. When he opened his “just because” gifts he was thankful and externally focused and expressed gratitude to the giver. He spoke nothing of his accomplishments in “deserving” the gift.

To treat God’s gift as a reward is the ultimate self-idolatry. It puts the focus on the receiver’s abilities, rather on the motives of the giver.

Imagine if a man saved and planned for a secret, special, surprise gift of a new car for his wife. After giving her the car he overhears her saying, “because I trust Him and have committed not to divorce him, he gave me this car”. Or if he heard her say, “I’m so faithful to him, and love him and do things for him, so he gave me this car”. Or “I’m so lucky to get this car from him. Imagine if I lived in New Guinea and there were no cars.” Or, “If I hadn’t been blessed with such wisdom to choose such a wonderful man, I wouldn’t have this new car”.

These responses all tarnish the gift and the giver because the focus of the wife is on what she has done to be rewarded with the “gift”. Her response changes the meaning of the word “gift” and makes it mean “reward”. 3:16 would then read: “God’s love is such that He rewarded the world with His Son for their belief/behavior/trust….”, instead of “God’s love for the world is such that He gave His Son….” - “God so loved the world that he gave…..”.

Too often the teachings we hear actually support the reward rendering instead of the gift rendering. An example of this subtle redefinition of the word is found in some “alter calls”. “You must surrender, come forward, pray the “sinner’s prayer”, make a decision for Christ, commit your life to Him, ask Him into your heart and then you can receive the . . . ” reward. The correct word cannot be gift in this context, although the word “gift” is used.

It is tragic that so many believers are robbed of the enjoyment of the Gift, because they’ve been taught erroneously that the Gift is a reward for their decision/belief/commitment/membership/giving, and thus, their joy is in their wisdom/choice/belief, rather than the glorious GIFT that He gives to the world.

“God loves the system and the manner He shows it is by giving His only-begotten Son….”

Begotten? By whom? Mary? God? Did God “beget” Himself in His Son? How does the Trinity work when the verse says that God’s Son is “begotten”?

Next post - Begotten…