"CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVE" (An Article by Christian Henry) ~ 10/16/25

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36)

John Chapter 3 is one of the most critical chapters in the entire gospel, presenting crucial ideas for our faith, including the role of Jesus as Savior. After the loud commotion at the temple, John transitions to a quiet, nighttime discussion where the speakers are Jesus and a Pharisee, Nicodemus, who seems to be sincerely interested in understanding Jesus' ministry. The chapter makes clear that Christ is the lone means of salvation for the entire world.

Verse 36 is an important footnote to the core gospel message seen in the chapter; it holds that those who put their faith in Christ will be saved, but those who reject Him will face the wrath of God. This passage emphasizes the exclusivity of the gospel: there is no other way to obtain heaven but through faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in and whole-hearted devotion to Christ is our only hope of gaining everlasting life and escaping the judgment promised to us. The Son is the only proper object of faith and trust, and the one who believes is entitled to eternal life. The believer has a right to it through the justifying righteousness and grace of Christ. This is the Christians faith and hope.

The poor soul that does not believe Christ to be the Son of God, or willfully rejects His office of Messiah and Savior, will never experience the joy of eternal life. Those who live and die in a state of impenitence and unbelief will die the second death. The sentence of wrath, condemnation, death, and the curse of the law has been pronounced upon the unbeliever even from Adam’s time. It continues, will continue, and can never be reversed, unless redeemed from it by Jesus.

As the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of humanity, it comes upon the children of disobedience and remains there. It hangs over their heads, and they will be filled with a dreadful sense of it for all eternity.

Some verses, like John 3:16, are frequently cited as one-sentence summaries of the entire Gospel. The idea that God loved us deeply and expressed that love by sending Christ for us is the central theme of Christianity. However, verses like this are equally crucial. Here, Jesus states that there are only two options in eternity: everlasting life or everlasting punishment. Those who turn to Christ in faith will gain this life and find forgiveness for sin. Those who do not will face judgment. No one is neutral, and no one is exempt. Salvation through Jesus Christ is not an upgrade, but a rescue from disaster.

Salvation is through Jesus, and Jesus alone; ignoring it means facing the wrath of God, which is the righteous anger of a judge issuing punishment for a crime. The rejection of Christ is a deliberate action; it’s not something done accidentally. We read that God wants people to be saved and not destroyed; thus, He makes Himself visible enough to encourage people to seek Him.

An eternity of separation from God is a horrifying thought. We should carefully weigh our options: on the one hand, a life of faith, belief, and an intentional pursuit of Christ leads to an eternity of peace and ease, but alternatively, a life of rejection of the truth can only end in judgment and pain. The choice sounds pretty simple.