The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum John 3:16 – Kosmos refers to "Believers Only"?

I came across this website that has a list of meanings for kosmos, which include under 8b, "of believers only." See: https://mikejeshurun.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/a-w-pink-on-the-world-of-john-316/

I see two problems here; the first minor, the second major:

First, assuming the definition is correct, why would anyone cite "1 Cor 4:9" as an example of kosmos referring to believers? That doesn't make sense to me.

Second, and more important, what other reliable and scholarly language resource has "of believers only" as a definition for kosmos, and citing John 3:16?

Thanks!

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1. Personally, I counsel people to generally avoid Mike Jeshurun.

2. Yes, there are myriad other reliable sources that reject that the word "world" as used in Jh 3:16 is to be interpreted as 'everyone that has ever been conceived, or every single man, woman and child without exception, or any similar suggestion. Here are links to some examples:
- The 'World' of John 3:16 Does Not Mean 'All Men Without Exception'
- The Method of Salvation Through Jesus Christ
- TULIP

3. I've presented this myriad times here on these forums over the past 20+ years, but I'm always willing to do it again when the need arises. Let me give you a literal rendering of John 3:16 from the Greek "For God loved the world in this manner in that He gave His only begotten Son in order that the believing ones would not perish but have everlasting life."

The "world" in this text, taken in context, both far and immediate, IMO, is that God's saving grace which is only given to those whom He from eternity determined to save, was given to 'all types of men; not Jews only but also Gentiles' = "world". And that love is infallibly salvific in nature, i.e., it has, is and will result in the salvation of those in the world whom from all eternity God set His love. (cf. Eph 1:3-6; Rom 8:29,30; 9ff, et al)

Addendum: I apologize for not addressing your comment on Jeshurun's alleged definition of 'world' as found in 1Cor 4:9. It was an oversight on my part . I would agree that to conclude that it is to be interpreted as "believers only" is rather odd at best and certainly unwarranted. For Paul includes "angels" as part of the group (world) who perceive the Apostles as 'theatrical'; as part of a show, those who gather the attention of onlookers.