The Kosmos

John 3
16 For God so loved the world, that....

You cannot understand your salvation, you cannot bask in the sunshine of God's love, you cannot appreciate God's grace until you confront the whole world, the kosmos in Greek, the world that God loved so dearly. This is the definition of the World, From Strong's Reference:

2889   //  kosmov  //  kosmos   //  kos'-mos  //
1) an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government
2) ornament, decoration, adornment, i.e. the arrangement of the stars, 'the heavenly hosts', as the ornament of the heavens. 1Pe 3:3
3) the world, the universe
4) the circle of the earth, the earth
5) the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family
6) the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to  the cause of Christ
7) world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly
7a) the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ
8) any aggregate or general collection of particulars of any sort
8a) the Gentiles as contrasted to the Jews ( Ro 11:12 etc)
8b) of believers only, John 1:29; 3:16; 3:17; 6:33; 12:47
1Co 4:9; 2Co 5:19

The world is our stage, it includes good and bad, health and sickness, joy and sadness, evil, enmity, justice and injustice, along with all of God's gracious gifts. And we are sinners in this wonderful, awful world.....

One final point. This passage does not read: And God so loved his elect....