A standard objection to our claim that the Bible teaches that God is sovereign in all things, including man's salvation, comes from a quick reading of John 3:16. It's probably the best known verse in all of Scripture:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV)”

OK, the English Standard Version doesn't say "whosoever" like the King James does, but "whoever" is pretty close, right? The assumption is that John means what we might mean when we tell a room full of people, “Whoever wants to come to our house for dessert may do so.” We hit the proverbial ball into their still proverbial court.

But consider the context. In John 3:1-15, Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed to be born again in order to be saved. Nicodemus' greatest need wasn't more information, but a new birth, regeneration. Just as Nic was passive in his first birth, so, too, in his second birth. He needs to be born of the Spirit (v.5-6).

Interestingly, immediately following John 3:16 is testimony of man's sinfulness, our fallen nature apart from God's grace. The light came into the world, but because man loved (the Greek word here is agapé) darkness more than light, we couldn't recognize Jesus as the light. Man’s sinful nature blinds him to the light of Christ (John 3:19-20).

So, it’s absolutely true that whoever believes in Jesus will not perish and certainly has eternal life. The question is, “Who will believe?” Is that ball in our court completely? Well, John 3:1-15 tells us we need to be reborn and John 3:17-20 tells us we need a new heart so that we might love the light instead of the darkness. Who will believe? Those in whom God removes the heart of stone, replaces it with a heart of flesh, brings them to saving faith in Christ, and gives them everlasting life in him.