The 3:16 Challenge: Life Changing Scriptures @ Your Fingertips

By Danielle Aly'ce Rome - Briggs

"The 3:16 Challenge" is a unique and powerful book that takes readers on a journey through the 48 verses of the Bible that share the 3:16 scriptural address. With a deep reverence for the Word of God, the author explores the origins, meanings, and significance of each of these verses, revealing the profound truths and messages that they contain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Shawn Briggs
• Release date: May 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088131374

Book preview

Preface

The word of God is given for guidance in our daily lives. We find inspiration, strength, wisdom, and comfort in God-inspired words. We are led to them in the still of the night when we are engulfed in a flood of tears. They speak comfort, peace, and the assurance that we are loved by our Almighty Father. The word of God is good for all that we encounter in the course of our daily lives as we strive to live worthy of the calling to which we have been called.

II Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…

Yet there are some scriptures that resonate with us so powerfully that their very place in the word comforts us as we whisper to ourselves their places - 3:16.

Throughout the Bible, that one scriptural address has meant so much to believers - 3:16. When we recall the words found in John 3:16, we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that we are loved in the most divinely profound way. God loved us so much that He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, as the once-for-all sacrificial offering for our sins. Is there anything greater? Can there be any words that minister more powerfully? Is there a more staggering truth to be found? I dare say that there are truths of equal magnitude for the believer, and many can be found at the same familiar address in scripture - 3:16.

The Bible contains 66 books; 48 have verses at the 3:16 address. I was astounded by the realization that many of our foundational scriptures are 3:16s. I wondered why and how they came to reside there, the same address on different streets, if you will. It suddenly became so obvious - we know how to get to the places that are most significant in our lives. The landmarks of our hearts - church, home, grandma's house - we know how to get there with our eyes closed. God has given us the same ability to nurture our spirits by giving us 3:16. Some, when we encounter those trials, need encouragement, are longing to be strengthened, are in dire straits, and require wisdom; we can go to familiar ground - 3:16 - and find just what we need.

As you read this text, take your time and allow the word and the teaching to minister to your heart and spirit. Do not rush; take your time with this text, your bible, and your journal - write what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. I have studied the scriptures in context, not only providing that key 3:16 verse but looking at the context and setting the stage for clarity of understanding. I have also studied the meanings of keywords that were pivotal to the message, including the definitions in ancient languages, either Hebrew or Greek. As I read the Bible, it is not a casual experience for me. I truly want to understand, so I tend to be quite diligent in my study. That was my approach to writing this book that God placed in my heart many years ago. When he said the timing was right to go forth, all the tools were at my disposal, and I set my hands to this great work.  I pray that reading this text will enliven your faith. I challenge you to allow the scriptures to teach you godly principles from antiquity which will strengthen you on your faith journey today.

Yours in Ministry,

Dani Rome-Briggs

FOREWORD

I’m privileged to write this forward. My perspective of the author is keenly unique. I’ve watched her grow from infancy to adulthood, and now she is a gifted teacher and preacher. My perspective is that of the eldest brother; watching her mature over the years has been inspiring.

This book, The 3:16 Challenge, serves as a reminder that study is critical for our spiritual growth and development. Danielle has presented a Bible study examining the 3:16 verses throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.

That is a distinct point of view for Bible study but certainly, one that can be appreciated. Danielle’s format is instructive and encouraging. As the study progresses, she solicits your attention to the verses being studied by connecting with the student to reflect on how this applies to their life. One such example is at the end of the Leviticus verse, where she asks, Does the term offering only resonate as a monetary term for you? 

The 3:16 Challenge has been an intriguing look at very specific verses that have captivated my study and encouraged me to continue growing, leading to a deeper understanding of the Scriptures. 

I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a cutting-edge Bible Study.

Reverend Dante L. Rome

Pastor, St. James AME Church

Macon, Georgia

January 18, 2021

The Consequences of Original Sin

Genesis 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception;  in sorrow, thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

How did we end up here - the first 3:16?

T

alk about your reversal of fortunes! In what seems like an instant, humanity goes from the creation of all that is to dwelling in the presence of the Almighty in the Garden to the unfathomable consequences of Original Sin. How did we end up in this predicament? Well, to borrow from the vernacular of today - It’s complicated. 

We could play the blame game, like Adam so eloquently did at this first pivotal moment when the blame was squarely placed on his shoulders. He did what we all too often find ourselves doing. He came up with a bag full of answers, the kind deflectors, then blamed someone else. But before we get there, let’s set the context to better understand how we arrive at our initial 3:16.

The beginning - In the beginning, God created heaven and the earth (Gen 1:10). We learned in Sunday School and knew it as well as we know our own names. Awestruck is the best descriptor of the emotions and wonder that fill us as we read of the magnificence of what the Triune God did as He spoke everything literally into existence, one Let… at a time. Then the word declares:

Genesis 1:26, And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created He them.

And just like that, we came into Creation, the handiwork of God himself. An intentional creation with purpose and place. He created us to have dominion over everything on the earth. What a daunting task, and it still remains as such.  So what is dominion? Dominion [7287], as defined in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, is in the Hebrew radah - to tread down, i.e., subjugate; to prevail against, reign, (bear, make to) rule, (-r, over), take. From the very beginning, God imbued man with power. And in his wisdom, God creates the Garden, eastward in Eden, and plants the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Then he knew that man should not be alone and created the animals for Adam to name, but his help was not to be found among them. So he put Adam in a deep sleep, took one of his ribs, and created a woman. They were naked and unashamed. Perfect, right but not so fast.

Genesis 3:1 opens ominously with, Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said until the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

That is how it began - the doubt that tears away at our relationship with God even today. The doubt that opens the door to wavering that leads to contrary thoughts that stagger our footsteps and cause us to fall to sin. These two were the first to be distracted from their idyllic relationship with our loving God, but for a certainty, they have not been the last.

It has been said that this blame can be squarely placed on the shoulders of the woman, Eve. However, both Adam and Eve knew what God had spoken to them - the original sin falls first to Adam, for God had spoken:

Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.

And in the very next verse, God declares Adam’s need for help met because it is not good for him to be alone. However, she is also fully aware of what God has said and states such to the serpent in Genesis 3:3. Full disclosure to everyone - Adam, Eve, and the serpent - and yet sin won that day and entered into the world. Consequences came quickly, and we arrived at our first 3:16.

Genesis 3:16  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow, thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

What are the keywords of this scripture speaking to us from antiquity?

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow [6093] [itstabown] - worrisomeness, and thy conception [2032] [herown or herayown] -pregnancy;  in sorrow [6089] [etseb] - an earthen vessel; usually painful toil; also a pang, whether in body or mind, thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire [8669] [teshuwqah] - in the original sense of stretching out after; a longing, shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule [4475] [memshalah] over thee.  It is obvious that this original sin changed the order of things for man and woman. The pain and difficulty associated with conception and childbirth do not seem to have been the original design, but sin brought about suffering. The suffering became a manifestation of physical and emotional pain in our bodies - sin did that. Not only did sin manifest actual pain, but the relationship dynamic between husbands and wives changed. Now the woman has to stretch to have the affection of her husband that had been there initially. Why? The damage had been done; the trust had eroded - sin did that. And this relationship set up for equality has transformed into one in which the husband, who had been given dominion over lesser creatures, has dominion over his wife. They had been equal, she was taken from his rib, but sin devastated that reality too.  This one verse is an unequivocal example of the destructive nature of sin. It manifests itself in the body and the mind; diminishes the strength of relationships; and calls for the reorganization of that which was intended - sin still does that.

So, what then is the challenge we encounter with this first 3:16 - Relationship with God and our choice to obey His Word. That is the challenge - how will our free will to choose to stand up to our relationship with God? When faced with the challenges of our hectic lives, we could find ourselves confronted with choices that lead to compromise regardless of what we know God has said concerning us. For a split second, the forbidden thing might not seem so bad. What do we tell ourselves - God knows my heart. Undoubtedly He does. However, our hearts should contain a treasure that keeps us from sin and always provides us with a means of escape. Unfortunately, our nature is sinful, and when the inevitable happens as we turn towards what looks so good at the moment - we turn away from our Father God. Every loving parent chastises their children; our God is no different. Adam placed blame but had consequences. Eve placed blame and had consequences. The serpent, well, he just had consequences. And yes, as a result of our sins, we too face the consequences. However, and this is huge. However, God is so liberal with His MERCY. The ultimate consequence for sin is death, but God spared them just as He spares us.

REFLECTION

What have you learned from Genesis 3:16? How can you apply this knowledge on your Christian journey?

The Lord God Sees

Exodus 3:16       Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:

Dealing with Self Doubt

I

f ever there were a biblical poster child for excuses, Moses is him. Now surely, there is something to be said for knowing yourself, but not to the point where you negate the good that is within you. Sure, Moses had good reasons to think himself unworthy. After