Today’s Thoughts – 1 October 2020
By T. S. Candee on October 1, 2020 in John Thoughts
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Scope of the Word
But these are written…
We have the Word of God so that we can believe on Jesus Christ. We shouldn’t need to see Jesus Christ to believe (“believing is seeing”). We can believe on Him through the Word of God. That is the emphasis of John’s gospel. He makes a reference to believing on Jesus Christ nearly 100 times.
The signs and miracles are to prove the deity of Christ, not for us to believe on. Sinners aren’t saved by believing on the miracles but by believing the One who performs the miracles.
Warren Weirsbe put it this way…
Faith in His miracles should lead to faith in His Word, and to personal faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord. Jesus Himself pointed out that faith in His works (miracles) was but the first step toward faith in the Word of God. The sinner must “hear” the Word if he is to be saved.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Saving Faith
…that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ…
The subject of John’s gospel is Jesus Christ – more specifically “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 6:69). And John presents this to us in Christ’s works, walk, and words. We see Christ performing miracles, living a perfect and pure life around those who desire to discredit and kill Him, and hear Him speak words that no one else could say.
To have saving faith, we must believe on Jesus Christ. Not on our works to get saved, not our works to keep saved, but by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and His following resurrection. Christ is an example to us, but He is also our Savior.
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Spiritual Life
…and that believing ye might have life through his name.
A key word of John’s gosel is “life” which he uses 36 times. Jesus is the one that gives us life both abundant and eternal which we can only give through personal faith in Him.
Warren Wiersbe says this about eternal life…
Eternal life is not “endless time,” for even lost people are going to live forever in hell. “Eternal life” means the very life of God experienced today. It is a quality of life, not a quantity of time. It is the spiritual experience of “heaven on earth” today. The Christian does not have to die to have this eternal life; he possesses it in Christ today.
Christ desires that we live an abundant life, but also a surrendered life to Him. We are not to live in our lusts and sin after we are saved, for that would negate His work on Calvary. Rather, we should die to ourselves so we can live for Him.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
