Should Be Saved, or Shall Be Saved? That Is The Question.

John 3:16 is probably the most well known passages in all of Scripture. It is also probably one of the most misunderstood passages in Scripture. This verse is also translated in many Bibles incorrectly because of the doctrine  "all you have to do is believe." To a certain extent, that's true. But what does it mean in the biblical sense "to believe?" I'll get to that a little bit later.

Dr. Sterns in the Complete Jewish Bible translates John 3:16 this way:

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed.

He hits on something there that is very important for the proper understanding of the text. Many people, and even many Bible translators miss a very important detail from this verse. It's a shame because it is right there before their eyes, but people do not take the time to think about what is really being said.

 Notice the words "may have eternal life." The question I'm forced to ask is this. Is the word "May" an absolute? Probably another way of saying it is, Is the word a definite statement, or is it an indefinite statement? I mean, what if I say to a child, You may eat that lemon. Does that mean that the child automatically wants the lemon. There is a good probability that the kid doesn't even care for lemons and may not want any part of it. So, in this case, the word "May" carries with it a sense of being something indefinite. He may want it, and he may not.

I like to compare this verse from every other Bible version against the old King James Version. Not because I think the KJV is always correct. but because, in this particular instance, I find the KJV to be one of the most accurate versions when compared to the Greek.

How does the KJV interpret this verse. It says it like this:

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Again, I have to ask the question. Is the phrase "should not perish" an absolute statement?  Think about this for a minute. If God says to you, "You should not eat shell fish." Is that a definite statement, or is it indefinite statement? Is it a suggestion, or is it a commandment? What if you like shell fish? You would probably eat shell fish. Now, what if God said to you, "You shall not eat shell fish." The whole focus of the idea changes. Now we can easily recognize it as a commandment. What was the difference? The difference was between the meaning of the indefinite word "should" and the definite meaning of the word "shall."

The words in the Greek are in the indefinite.  Properly translated, it should be either '"may" as in the CJB, or "should" as in the King James. Looking closely at this verse from the context – which I shall show shortly – bears this out. Think about this. If I say you, "you should not perish." Does that statement not imply that you possibly could perish, simply because I used the indefinite word should?  There is a condition at work here. The condition hinges upon the word "trust."

Comparing verse 16 with previous verse, and then with 17, you should soon see the context I'm talking about. Along with it, comes the idea that the words used here are in the indefinite state. Verse 15, from the Complete Jewish Bible reads like this:

¹⁵ so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life.

Notice again the indefinite word may

Then when we move on to verse 17, we see the same train of thought.

¹⁷ For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved.

The same verse in the King James reads like this:

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Now I have to ask. Is the word "might" a definite or an indefinite word.

Suppose I said, the world through Him will be saved, or perhaps if I said, the world through Him shall be saved. These words are both in the definite case. The fact that words in these verses are actually in the indefinite implies that believing in Yeshua does not necessarily mean you shall not perish.  Hold on before you all go crazy!  It also does not mean that the world through Him will be saved – in the sense that most people believe.  Remember, James 2:19 says, You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! Are the demons going to be saved? I hardly think so.

There is a condition required here. What is that condition? Verse 18 from the CJB says:

¹⁸ Those who trust in him are not judged; those who do not trust have been judged already, in that they have not trusted in the one who is God’s only and unique Son.

I like the KJV better. It says:

¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

In verse 18 we have our explanation. Verse 18 moves from the indefinite to the definite.

There is a tremendous difference between believing in Yeshua, as in the sense that; Yes I believe that he was a great man, or perhaps; Yes, I believe he was a great teacher, but I cannot believe that he was God in the flesh. Those people believe that he was, but there is no trusting upon him for their salvation. In their case, they might be saved. However, first they are going to have to come to the realization of whom Yeshua really is and begin to trust in His name.

The opposite is those people who believe on Him with their whole heart. They believe that He was the Word made flesh and there is no other name under heaven by which we might be saved. Those who have thrown their complete trust upon Him, and walk in obedience to His commandments are those who shall be saved. There is no might concerning them. In their case, they will be saved.

Where do you stand? Are you in the might be saved category, or are you in the will be saved category. Are you one of those who should not perish, or are you one of those who will not perish? It's your choice. choose wisely.

Shalom,
Barry W. Gaugler