What do we need to bring into John 3:16 to make it fully explain the gospel?
To make John 3:16 fully explain the gospel, one must bring in Paul's gospel: that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. John 3:16 alone does not contain the gospel; the basic truths of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection come from Paul and must be applied to it.
Les explains that John 3:16 is often quoted, but by itself it does not present the gospel. He points out that by analyzing John chapter 3, beginning with Nicodemus and Jesus, you cannot find one word of what we would call the gospel. To make John 3:16 come into full flow, you must bring in Paul's gospel—that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. When God gave His only begotten Son, He went to the cross, He died, and He rose from the dead. Les also notes that Isaiah 53, a favorite chapter used to win Jews, would yield nothing of the gospel without the knowledge of Paul's gospel. These basic truths come from Paul, and then we can go back into other Scriptures and make applications.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
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.
More Questions
Is John 3:16 enough to explain the gospel, or do you need 1 Corinthians 15 too?
John 3:16 does not contain this part of the Gospel, so it has to be used in conjunction with the gospel Paul preached in 1 Corinthians 15 to make sense today.
Does John 3:16 alone contain the gospel?
Les teaches that you cannot find the gospel in John 3:16 alone. He explains that while John 3:16 can be used, it must be brought into full flow by Paul's gospel—that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. These basic truths come from Paul, and then we can go back into other Scriptures and make applications. He gives Isaiah 53 as another favorite chapter, noting that without the knowledge of Paul's gospel, no one would get the gospel out of it. Les stresses using all of Scripture carefully and not being maligned as too narrow.