According to one of the most famous passages of the Holy Bible God sent his only-begotten into the world to save it so that whoever chooses to believe in the Son will be spared from perishing and be granted everlasting life:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;so that whoever believes (pas ho pisteuon) in Him will have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes (pas ho pisteuon) in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:14-17
The Greek pas is crucial in understanding the meaning of this inspired proclamation. Grammarians and scholars of the New Testament assert that pas is indefinite, meaning it is an invitation to any and every individual to believe in God’s uniquely begotten Son.
In other words, the meaning of this construction is that John isn’t referring to any particular group but is inviting anyone and everyone to believe. As such, this shows that God’s desire is for the whole human race to be saved, not just the elect as some Calvinists teach.
Ironically, even the Swiss reformer John Calvin admitted that this is the plain, explicit meaning of the aforementioned passage:
That whosoever believeth on him may not perish. It is a remarkable commendation of faith, that it frees us from everlasting destruction. For he intended expressly to state that, though we appear to have been born to death, undoubted deliverance is offered to us by the faith of Christ; and, therefore, that we ought not to fear death, which otherwise hangs over us. AND HE HAS EMPLOYED THE UNIVERSAL TERM whosoever, BOTH TO INVITE ALL INDISCRIMINATELY TO PARTAKE OF LIFE, and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers. Such is also the import of the term World, which he formerly used; for though nothing will be found in the world that is worthy of the favor of God, yet he shows himself to be reconciled TO THE WHOLE WORLD, when he invites ALL MEN WITHOUT EXCEPTION to the faith of Christ, which is nothing else than an entrance into life.
Let us remember, on the other hand, that while life is promised universally to all who believe in Christ, still faith is not common to all. For Christ is made known and held out to the view of all, but the elect alone are they whose eyes God opens, that they may seek him by faith…
17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world. It is a confirmation of the preceding statement; for it was not in vain that God sent his own Son to us. He came not to destroy; and therefore it follows, that it is the peculiar office of the Son of God, that all who believe may obtain salvation by him. There is now no reason why any man should be in a state of hesitation, or of distressing anxiety, as to the manner in which he may escape death, when we believe that it was the purpose of God that Christ should deliver us from it. The word world is again repeated, THAT NO MAN MAY THINK HIMSELF WHOLLY EXCLUDED, if he only keep the road of faith. (Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible, Chapter 3; emphasis mine)
In fact, according to A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (also known as BDAG), in the singular often pas ho, pasa he, pan to with a participle means every one who, whoever.
I now cite a slew of verses where singular pas and its various forms are used with a participle and the Greek definite article, just as we find in John 3:15-16, in order to illustrate this rule.
“Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes (panta ton pisteuonta) in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” Acts 10:43
“and that in Him, everyone who believes (pas ho pisteuon) is justified from all things which you could not be justified from through the Law of Moses.” Acts 13:39
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (panti to pisteuonti).” Romans 10:4
“For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes (Pas ho pisteuon) upon Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 10:11
“But I say to you that everyone who is angry (pas ho orgizomenos) with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be guilty before the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” Matthew 5:22
“but I say to you that everyone who looks (pas ho blepon) at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:28
“but I say to you that everyone who divorces (pas ho apolyon) his wife, except for the reason of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Matthew 5:32
“For everyone who asks (pas gar ho aiton) receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.’ Matthew 7:8
“And everyone hearing (pas ho akouon) these words of Mine and not doing them, may be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. Read full chapter Matthew 7:26
“Everyone who comes (Pas ho erchomenos) to Me and hears My words and does them, I will show you whom he is like:” Luke 6:47
“For everyone who asks (pas gar ho aiton), receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.” Luke 11:10
“For everyone who exalts (pas ho hypson) himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11
“Everyone who divorces (Pas ho apolyon) his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.” Luke 16:18
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts (pas ho hypson) himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:14
‘I tell you that to everyone who has (panti to exchonti), more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.” Luke 19:26
“Therefore you are without excuse, O man, everyone who passes (pas ho krinon) judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” Romans 2:1
“but glory and honor and peace to everyone who works (panti to ergazomeno) good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 2:10
“Now everyone who competes (pas de ho agonizomenos) in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.” 1 Corinthians 9:25
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs (pas ho kremamenos) on a tree’” Galatians 3:13
“Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Everyone who names (pas ho onomazon) the name of the Lord is to depart from wickedness.’” 2 Timothy 2:19
“For everyone who partakes (pas gar ho metechon) only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.” Hebrews 5:13
“Everyone who denies (pas ho arnoumenos) the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.” 1 John 2:23
“If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who does (pas ho poion) righteousness has been born of Him.” 1 John 2:29
“Anyone who goes too far and does not abide (pas ho proagon kai me menon) in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. The one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 1:9
“I bear witness to everyone who hears (panti to akouonti) the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18
It is apparent that the meaning of the various forms of pas with the participle and the definite article in all these preceding examples can only mean, “any one who,” “everyone who”, “whoever.”
Therefore, since this is the precise construction employed in John 3:15-16 there can be absolutely no doubt that the meaning is that whoever chooses to believe in the Lord Jesus will be saved. It is an invitation from God to all mankind, calling every individual to saving faith in his uniquely begotten and beloved Son.
There’s simply no way of getting around this explicit testimony of inspired Scripture.
All biblical references taken from the Legacy Standard Bible (LSB).
FURTHER READING
JOHN’S PROLOGUE VS. LIMITED ATONEMENT
EARLY CHURCH ON JESUS’ ATONING DEATH
John Calvin and Particular Redemption
LIMITED ATONEMENT DEBATE PT. 1
The Case for Unlimited Atonement Pt. 1
For Whom Did the OT High Priest Make Atonement? Pt. 1
CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON VS. JAMES WHITE
HOW JUDAS ISCARIOT REFUTES CALVINISM
Answering Islam Blog 