But Have Eternal Life

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.

John 3:16 (NIrV)

We come to the final phrase in John 3:16 - but have eternal life. Before we expound on that, let's review what we've covered so far:

• God loving, longing for, and wanting to be with, those that He had created and was taking care of, is the reason for...
• God freely gave his only heir, the one who would inherit all He had...
• all who put their trust in Christ...
• Will not be subject to the ultimate penalty of sin - death

And now on with the final phrase

• but is the Greek word ἀλλά (alla) which means "but" indicating an exception to the rule.
  • When thinking of exceptions, how would you feel if everyone got a cookie but you?
  • How would you feel if you did something wrong and everyone got punished but you?
• have is the Greek word ἔχω (echō) which means to have in hand, to hold, to wear (as in clothing), to possess
  • To think about having someting, suppose you're at Toys R Us and you find a toy you like
  • ... and you have the money to pay for it but it's at home
  • ... and you have the money to pay for it with you?
  • Which one of these haves do you think is like "have" in John 3:16?
• eternal is the Greek word αἰώνιος (aiōnios) which means without end, never to cease, everlasting
• life is the Greek word ζωή (zōē) which means "life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever"
• Putting this all together, we come up with:
  as an exeption (to death - the penalty of sin) will put on and possess without end real and genuine life devoted to God.