John 3:16 NKJV:
“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. [*indicates what is probable, but not certain]
Please notice that the Bible here does not say that whoever believes in Him WILL not perish but have everlasting life.
Instead, it says that whoever believes in Him SHOULD not perish but have everlasting life.
In the Greek the word scholars have accurately translated as SHOULD is in the SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD. This mood indicates, per scholars, and as stated by Wallace as indicating “uncertain but probable.”
This plainly puts in a quandary those who think that “faith alone saves,” yet their favorite verse clearly indicates that “it depends.”
Thus, their choice to follow the narrow path of truth versus the wide road of popular opinion reaches a critical decision point.
Unfortunately, many of them, as so many today in our own churches, collapse under the overwhelming weight of peer pressure.
One Greek instructor explained it away like this:
He admits that the subjunctive mood does indeed suggest–as Wallace stated (p 461)–the idea of faith saving a person being “UNCERTAIN but PROBABLE.” This obviously makes it sounds like Jesus is saying that it is “probable that those who believe in Jesus PROBABLY WON’T perish”–which is correct. But, he says next: “I hope not [i.e., that this isn’t the case]. I believe there is no uncertainty that His [Jesus’] gift of righteousness through our faith secures our future salvation, which of course it does.”
Thus is clearly displayed yet another unfortunate example of a man utterly unwilling to accept the plain truths of Scripture.
And so many of us these days–in ways that I pray to God won’t have salvation consequences–do exactly the same thing.
And in so doing, they show that in fact they do not LOVE THE TRUTH, which is the only thing that will “SET US FREE” (John 8.31-32). Truth will indeed set you free—but there’s one big catch.
But, what about the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3.16? Doesn’t it suggest that any kind of faith in Jesus will save a person?
John 3:16–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. [*This is accurately translated as “should not perish” because it’s in the SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD and therefore indicates what is probable, but not certain. The verb, “aπoλλυμι”, in infinitive form means “to destroy.” That’s scary, because Satan is described as a destroyer who goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, per 1 Pet 5.8.]
That phrase “should not perish” has been correctly translated–means exactly what it says. In the Greek, that verb is in the SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD, meaning it is PROBABLE, but not CERTAIN.
Why is eternal life not certain even after a person believes in Jesus? Why will those who believe “probably” but not “necessarily” be saved–as the Greek indicates?
Simply because you are a creature of choice, and you have the FREE WILL to choose your own path in life.
In the closing words of inspiration Jesus reminded the world of this, when He said:
Rev 22.17 (NKJV)–And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. [This means you can choose to take the right or wrong path in life, including, turn from your faith in Christ and LOSE YOUR SALVATION if that is your choice.]
1 Timothy 1.18-20–…fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have REJECTED these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. [Back in those days, most, but not all people involved in shipwrecks perished.]
Gal 5.4–You who are trying to be justified by THE law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. [We have been saved by, grace; therefore it is obvious that when we fall from grace we are no longer saved. By the way, of the 7 major reputable translations, only the NKJV and NASB drop the article before the word “law.” Doing this was clearly a mistranslation. ]
James 5.19-20–My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
These are by NO MEANS the only passages speaking to the fact that you can lose your salvation if you decide not to obey Christ. Such examples goes on and on and on in the NT. People who close their ears to these obvious teachings are playing with their eternal souls. The Hebrew writer put it this way:
Hebrews 5.8-9–Although He was a son, he learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. [In other words, all who DON’T obey Him won’t receive eternal salvation.]
