The proper explanation of

John 3:16

It proves we are not saved by faith alone.

            It’s true! This verse, read in its proper context does not teach “saved by faith alone”. In reality, the context of this verse teaches just the opposite. It teaches that we are saved by faith, when accompanied by proper works. Now if you are associated with one of the denominational churches, just how many times have you heard that said? Never, right! Almost all of the people in the various denominational churches read John 3:16 and when they interpret the meaning of this verse, based on their own world view of salvation, they conclude that salvation is obtained by “faith alone”. They almost always include another doctrine and they say that “works have nothing to do with being saved”. This is common teaching by most of the denominational churches around us. But the fact is, John 3:16, when taken in its proper context, teaches that salvation is by works of obedience when accompanied by proper faith. Let’s take a closer look at these verses and you can see, without doubt, the proper meaning for yourself.

John 3:14-16 (NKJV)

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 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. 

            What in the world does Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness have to do with being saved by faith in God’s only Begotten Son? Be careful here because this sets the context of what these Scriptures are trying to get us to see. “Moses lifting up the serpent” is very important if you really do want to understand what is being taught here.

            Do you remember the story of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness? It’s found in Numbers 21, verses 8-9. Let’s look at these verses and see how they apply to John 3:14-16.

Numbers 21:7-9 (NKJV)

7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

            The story goes like this:

            The Israelites had been released from slavery in Egypt and had sinned against God. They were camped in the wilderness and God sent poisonous snakes among them in order to teach them to repent. If they were bitten by one of these “fiery serpents” they died. But God made a way for these people to be saved. It required 2 things. The first thing that was required was a faith in God that would cause them to obey God’s instructions and do what He required them to do. If they followed God’s instructions as He required them to do, they would be saved. They had to obey God and look at the serpent that Moses place on a pole. If they did this, God said they would be saved and not die from the bite of the snake. Sounds easy, right?

            But let’s put this into proper perspective. Here is a part of the picture that we seldom even think about or consider. Let’s look at Exodus 12:37-38.

Exodus 12:37-38 (KJV)

37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. 38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

            Wow! What a crowd of people. The Bible tells us it was six hundred thousand men, plus women and children. Most scholars number this nation of people to be from 1.5 million to 2 million people. Have you ever considered this? They lived in tents. There were no permanent houses available for them in the wilderness. If we were to consider 4 people to a tent, that would be about 500,000 tents. What a city of tents and people. According to the internet, the population of Forsyth County where I live (which includes the cities of Winston Salem, Kernersville, Clemmons, King, Lewisville and others) was 260,202 in 2021. The population of the people of Israel was 7.5 times more people that we have today in the entire county where I live in NC.

            What does this information do to the context of looking at the serpent Moses placed on a pole? Well, just suppose you were in my county of Forsyth and you were bitten by a poisonous snake. If you could be saved from this snake bite by looking at a serpent on a pole located somewhere over in downtown Winston Salem, would you find some way to get there so you could see it? Or would you be stubborn and rebellious and refuse to look at the snake on the pole? Would you claim that looking at the serpent was not necessary because we are saved by “faith only” and works have nothing to do with our salvation? Somehow, I just don’t think you would refuse to do the work of obedience God has required you to do.

            The same is true with the context of John 3:16. You can see now how the statement in John 3:14 about Moses lifting up the serpent applies to our salvation today. Yes, it’s clear. Faith is required, alright. But so are works of obedience. Look at these verses in James 2. With this new information, these verses should now become Chrystal clear.

James 2:20-24 (KJV)

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Carl O. Cooper