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Is John 3.16 Too Controversial For Television? The above question is not a joke, but an actual question that was raised about a commercial on television during a recent NFL playoff game. The Denver Broncos, with Tim Tebow, was playing the New England Patriots. During the game, a thirty second commercial sponsored by "Focus on the Family" ran. It consisted of your children quoting John 3.16. It got my attention, and I thought it was well done from a commercial aspect. At the time, I wondered about the response it would receive. As it turned out, millions of people got on their computers and googled John 3.16. In last year's Super Bowl, a commercial ran in the New York area that encouraged viewers to go to a web site "lookup316." Again, the response was millions of people going to that web site. However, today I see where some people are upset over the commercial. To be fair about this supposed controversy, a small number of people have actually said anything against the commercial. But in our society of wimps and victims a few people have said they feel the commercial is too pushy and religion is something better left in the home. Let me think about this for a few minutes. The same television that runs shows containing all kinds of sexual language, violent crimes, profanity, and immoral activity can run its garbage ,but not a Bible verse? The same television where commercials often makes a person want to blush or change the station is ok, but dares not quote John 3.16. A few weeks ago, we were watching a show but I kept thinking that the commercials ought to have a rating on them. Some of the fragrance commercials are provocative and lurid. The beer commercials are irresponsible, and some talk about things that are nobody's business. I find it hard to believe that most people are not upset by what is on television. There is obviously more to this than a few people thinking that John 3.16 is outrageous and too religious for our children to hear. So I got to thinking, who would be offended by John 3.16? Those who do not believe Jesus to be the Son of God would be one group who would be upset. They don't want to be told they may be wrong and need to re-examine their theology. Those who do not believe in God or the idea that we might actually need saving would be upset. After all this implies that sin exist, there is a right and wrong, and man will face a future judgment. I have yet to meet a criminal who wants to go before the judge. Perhaps those who believe Mohammad is the great prophet of God and reject Jesus' deity would be upset. They understand that John 3.16 and the Bible teach that Jesus was "The Son of God", Immanuel in the flesh. If such is true, then their religion is based on a false prophet and by necessity is a lie. Satan would be upset over the quoting of John 3.16. After all, he has been trying to deceive mankind from the Garden of Eden and has largely succeeded. Only Jesus has been able to lead the perfect life and overcome the power of death. Jesus is the seed of woman who crushed the head of Satan when He arose from the grave. At the present time, Satan is bound by the word of God, and awaits his time to be cast into eternal torment, Matthew 25.41, 46. In short, those who love the darkness instead of the light will be upset. "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3.19) Those not wanting to know the truth and change their ways will not want to hear anything from the Bible. But to those who love the truth, believe in God, understands the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and realizes the hideous nature and consequences of sin, John 3.16 is music to their ears. They understand the love that God showed to sinful man in sending His Son to die on the cross so we can have eternal life. John 3.16 is not the end of God's revelation to mankind, but its basis. In other words, it explains to us God's love and Jesus' purpose in coming to this earth, but it does not contain everything man must do to be saved. We must believe, but we must also obey in order to be saved. -- Dennis Tucker |