John 3:13-21 30+ in Depth CR NIV

Romans 10:6-9 But the righteousness that is by faith says; "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down)

"or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim;

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

1 Corinthians 15:9-11 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

Ephesians 2:4-7 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have you have been saved.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 4:7-10 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

This is why it says; "When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people."

(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?

He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

Ephesians 5:8-13 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, Live as children of light

(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)

and find out what pleases the Lord.

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible--and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.

God's Love and Ours

1 John 4:7-11 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

This is how God showed his love among us; He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:14-15 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.

The Lord's Covenant with Abram

Genesis 15:1-6 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision; "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your very great reward.

But Abram said, "Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"

And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."

Then the word of the LORD came to him; "This man will not be you heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir."

He took him outside and said, "Look up at the sky and count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

Genesis 22:12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

Exodus 14:31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

Deuteronomy 30:12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaims it to us so we may obey it?:

Numbers 14:11 The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?