So now lest look at John 3:16-21 so we can take in context after seeing how the context leading up to it has been looked at, we will see how mans will is to love his sin and hate the light and those that follow the truth do it to show that it was do by God, not their will.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
Here is how the footnote of the ESV translates, "For God so loved the world" it helps give us a clearer understanding of what is being said here, “For this is how God loved the world”. How did God love the world? The Father loved the world in that He gave His Son as a propitiation for the sins of the world, this does not mean that He died for all of the world to be saved or that the world is in the design of the Lord's salvation plan. As in Acts 2:23 “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.”
Notice the Sons death is for those that believe and as we've seen those that believe is because the Lord caused them to be born again and not by their will but God's. Verse 18 "Whoever believes" many take the word, whoever" to mean that it applies to everyone, bit if we interpret Scripture with Scripture we need to look at Acts 3:39 “For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” Verses 18-20 people are condemned already because they do not believe. It is also that the light came into the world and men ove their sin and heated the light because they love their evil and do npot want it exposed. Verse 21 are those that do what is right come to the light to show that his works have been “to be accomplished by God.”
Notice it is for those that are far off and everyone that the Lord has called to Himself, it is an open invitation to all, with the application of the atonement being for thos that believe I Timothy 4:10 “For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.”
Yes He is the Savior of the world, but especially of those that believe. I John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Notice that His love for those that believe is in that His Son is a propitiation for our sins. Here it is in reserse order.
I John 2:2 “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” Since it is in reverse order it also places the emphasis is on obeying Him, 2:3 “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.”
John 3:34 “For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.” Which leads us to John 6:63-65 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
In and of ourselves we cannot come to the Lord, our flesh is no help life is given by the Spirit as in being born again and it is granted by the Father as we've sen in the other Scriptures.
