AJC said:
But what about: Jhn 3:14-36. . . . SO the 'BELIEVING' that is spoken of here is a type of believing that will lead to true repentance and fleaing from sin?
Are you asking about a particular verse in that passage e.g., vs. 36? Don't overlook the verb tenses either by concentrating upon a single word. For example, the word "believeth" (Grk:
pisteuwon) is a present particle and the word "hath" (Grk:
eXei, Eng: has) in vs. 36 is a present indicative. So the text is saying, the ones believing, or the believing ones [already] have [do now possess] eternal life. In other words, it would be wrong to interpret the text as saying something like, "If one believes they will have eternal life."
AJC asks:
Because when you here that those who believe will not perish this can be taken at face value. So what is truely meant here that those 'who believe will not perish' and does this apply to us or is this message specifially meant for the first Christians who were experiencing Jesus for the first time?
I'm not sure what you are asking, if anything, in the first part of your question but as to who this statement applies to it certainly applies to all universally. Why would you think that it only applied to those living in Christ's day?
In His grace,
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