Does John 3:19-21 Teach Works Salvation?

 

John 3:19-21 is misinterpreted to mean that if you need to do works to be (or assisted in being) saved. That is odd since it is part of a passage that clearly says believing in Christ is the way to have eternal life.

Here is the passage: 

John 3:19-21

[19]This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

[20]For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

[21]But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." 

1. The context: Nicodemus visited Jesus by night. The conversation is about being born again.

2. It is clear that UNLESS a man is born again he cannot see (much less enter, vs 3, 5) the kingdom of God.

3. This results to a discussion on what it means to be born again. It is not about being reborn physically but being born spiritually. Physical birth is the first birth; spiritual birth is the second birth. Jn 3:1-9

4. Did you do anything to be physically born? Nothing. Why would you think you can do anything to be spiritually born?

5. Jesus said that if you (Nicodemus) cannot understand physical things (the reality of physical) how can you understand spiritual birth. Jesus is giving "OUR" testimony. Jn 3:10-13

6. Then He made an illustration from Numbers 21:6-9, that of a bronze serpent on a pole. Anyone who bitten by snakes that looks at the snake is cured of otherwise very fatal bite. Jn 3:13. This is used by Jesus to illustrate faith in Him. Believe and have eternal life. Nothing else. Jn 3:15

7. Then comes the most famous verse of the Bible:

John 3

[16]"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

It says that whosoever BELIEVES have eternal life. No mention of good works. Will Jesus give Nicodemus incomplete information on how to have eternal life if works are required for having eternal life?

8. In Jn 3:17-18, Jesus says that He did not come to judge the world but to save it. BUT those who DO NOT BELIEVE are judged already.

John 3:17-18

[17]For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

[18]He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

This judgment is very important because it defines what the judgment is on vs 19-21. They ARE JUDGED for not believing.

9. Here comes the misinterpreted passage:

John 3:19-21

[19]This is the judgment, that the Light (JESUS) has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light (THEY DID NOT BELIEVE), for their deeds were evil. (IT IS AN EVIL DEED NOT TO BELIEVE) 

[20]For everyone who does evil (EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE) hates the Light (REJECT HIM), and does not come to the Light (DID NOT BELIEVE) for fear that his deeds will be exposed.(HE LOVED HIS EVIL DEEDS MORE THAN BELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST'S DEED ON THE CROSS)

[21]But he who practices the truth (HE WHO IS POSITIVE TO CHRIST, THE TRUTH) comes to the Light (BELIEVE), so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." (HIS GOOD DEEDS MANIFEST HE BELIEVES IN CHRIST)

Note faith comes first, save him and then good deeds manifest that salvation. That manifestation is not automatic or inevitable though. 

10. See taken in isolation, it is used to support works salvation. Taken in context, it describes the judgment of those who reject Christ.

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