John 3:16

From: Dave Haggard (dave.haggard@mci.com)
Date: Mon Jul 29 1996 - 11:40:08 EDT


The recent non-B-Greek discussion over the weekend about Christian bigotry caused me to remember a long-standing question I've had. I think all of you may have great insights on this. Forgive me for some preliminaries:

1) It's been my observation and my open opinion that fully 90% of church people (varying from denomination to denomination and congregation to congregation) are *believers* but not *Christians* (my definitions: Believers believe the facts, with no commitment of the heart, whereas Christians have given themselves over in faith and obedience to Jesus Christ based on that belief (Please don't discuss this, this is not the issue I raise, only a discussion context)).
2) A couple of things I was taught way-back-when about Biblical Greek: a) most things that occur once or rarely in the NT are significant, and b) subjunctive mood expresses potentiality of action.

Now my subject for discussion, if deemed worthy by all of you (forgive me, but I don't have a source of Greek text with me right now.)--
   KJV translation (the traditional) of John 3:16 says: "...that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The verb here for perish is in the subjunctive mood, as I recall, and the KJV translates it "should not perish," expressing the potentiality of not perishing.
   NIV translation renders this as "shall not perish," making it future tense, and removing the potentiality of the action.
   Based on my observation of nominal Christians over the years, and based on what I was taught about forms used rarely in the NT (subjunctive mood is very rare), I favor the KJV translation. "Whosoever believeth in him should not perish... [but might!]" Related to this would be the question of what it means to believe *in* him.

To summarize:
   Should not or Shall not perish? Is the subjunctive mood here expressing potentiality or future?
   What does it mean to believe *in*? Is that different from believing *about*?
   If this question is appropriate for the B-Greek group, what effect does this have on our doctrine, teaching, and preaching?

My present position: Belief of the facts is not enough. Belief *in* Christ is something more. You may believe, but you may perish anyway. There's a difference between a mere believer and a Christian.

Help me, guys!!! I'd love to hear opinions and exegesis on this.

Rev. David Haggard --- | --- Tom's Kids Ministries
2895 El Capitan Dr. --- | --- Colorado Springs, CO 80918
(719) 534-9252 --- | --- fax: (719) 534-9570
renegade@rmii.com --- | --- http://www.rmii.com/~renegade

If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. -- Isaiah 7:9
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