Acknowledgments
Introduction
 
Chapter 1: For God So Loved the World
Chapter 2: That He Gave
Chapter 3: His Only Son
Chapter 4: That Whoever
Chapter 5: Believes in Him
Chapter 6: Should Not Perish
Chapter 7: But Have Eternal Life
 
Conclusion

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope for our sin-cursed world of guilt, shame, and death, and it is our only hope of escape from the righteous and eternal punishment God brings in hell. It is the best news in the whole world precisely because it declares that through Christ, God has broken into our dark and sinful world, offering full redemption to needy sinners who truly trust in the crucified and risen Christ alone for salvation. John 3:16 is one of the most glorious summaries of the gospel in the entire Bible, but it is so often repeated that, sadly, we lose the wonder of it. Explaining this verse one phrase at a time, Pastor Jonathan Cruse answers such questions as these: Who is God? What is ‘the world’? Why did Christ need to die? And what is biblical, saving faith? In these pages, Cruse shows that God freely offers the gospel to whoever drinks from its life-giving streams (Rev. 22:17). Find here an excellent summary of the gospel in its purity and majesty!”
Joel R. Beeke, Chancellor and Professor of Systematic Theology and Homiletics, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary; Pastor, Heritage Reformed Congregation, Grand Rapids, Michigan

“We cannot think too often or too deeply of God’s love toward us in Christ. That is reason enough to take an unhurried look at the familiar words of John 3:16. Jonathan Landry Cruse helps us see the love of God in this beloved verse with wide-open eyes and receptive hearts. May this book help many experience that love for the first time, and may it lead those who know that love already to behold it anew with wonder.”
Matthew Boswell, hymn writer; Pastor, The Trails Church, Celina, Texas

“Though an oft-used coin among Scripture’s riches, John 3:16 has not lost its shine. On the contrary, it continues to summarize the whole Bible for Christians across denominational and geographical borders. With exegetical acuteness, pastoral warmth, and exceptional writing, Jonathan Cruse unpacks this single verse in its depth and breadth. From the seeker to the theologian, readers will find in this book treasures new and old. Read it, read it again, and pass it on to a friend!”
Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California

“‘God is love’ are three simple yet incredibly profound words that reveal a world of biblical and salvific truth. Jonathan Cruse explores the unfathomable riches of this truth in this wonderful little book on a familiar verse that few people probably take the time to savor and meditate on. If you doubt God’s love in Christ or struggle to understand God’s heart, this book certainly offers the remedy.”
J. V. Fesko, Harriet Barbour Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson

“I didn’t think anyone could show me so much in a verse I’ve known my whole life, but in So Loved, Jonathan Cruse does exactly that. Page after page, I found myself surprised, delighted, and deeply comforted as he unfolded the heart of God with biblical clarity and pastoral warmth. I finished this beautiful book with fresh assurance, greater affection for Christ, and a desire to hand it to everyone I know.”
Kendra Dahl, Women’s Ministry Director, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Encinitas, California; author, A Place for You: Reframing Christian Womanhood

“Several decades ago I attended a conference where four or five well-known and respected preachers were to compose a sermon outline of John 3:16. It was fascinating, not least because of the different approaches each one gave but also because it was a testimony to the fact that in the twentieth century, evangelicalism highlighted John 3:16 perhaps more than any other verse in the Bible. Jonathan Landry Cruse is right in highlighting it as the primary text of the gospel. His brief treatment is outstanding and a sure guide to refresh us as to the focus of the gospel. I can foresee Sunday schools and Bible studies using this book to great profit.”
Derek W. H. Thomas, Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic and Pastoral Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary; Teaching Fellow, Ligonier Ministries

“I love this book! How useful to have help on this beloved verse. We may have memorized John 3:16, but how well do we understand it? Jonathan Cruse’s book gives us this needed understanding, partly by sharing with us choice comments from well-known pastors across time and place. I recommend reading it with family and friends and discussing each chapter’s questions. This book surely shows us God’s love for his people and will grow our love for him.”
Emily Van Dixhoorn, Bible teacher and retreat speaker; coauthor, Gospel-Shaped Marriage: Grace for Sinners to Love Like Saints; author, Confessing the Faith Study Guide  

“We can never fully fathom God’s love for his people given in Christ. And how glad we should be for his love’s inexhaustible richness because we get to spend eternity reflecting on its grandeur. Likewise, how thankful we should be for Jonathan Cruse as he helps us start those majestic reflections now. This little book mines deeply in John 3:16 to display, with new brightness, its profound truths about God’s love for us in Christ.”
Harrison Perkins, Pastor, Oakland Hills Community Church, Farmington Hills, Michigan