That You May Believe

We’ve reached our final gospel reading in the Hampton Roads Church ResilieNT Reading plan - the book of John. John tells us that his purpose in writing these specific words was “that you may believe” (John 20:31). I’ve read the book of John many times over the years, and discussed it with those beginning their study of the Bible and with those who’ve read the Bible for many years. This time as I read it, I’m focusing on John’s purpose and looking in his words for what helps me to believe.

John starts his book with the familiar words “in the beginning” (verse 1), the same words Moses used in Genesis to begin the story of God’s creation and His overwhelming joy and love for all that He created. The Word, logos, was with God in the beginning, and is God. This is the first reason to believe: Jesus, the Word, is God now and was God at the beginning.

Next, John discusses light and darkness, and how darkness has not overcome the light (verse 5). Jesus brought the truth of God into the world to shine brightly in a dark place. Since we can read the Word and know the light of Jesus through it, we have reason to believe.

In verse 6, John mentions another John, who “came as a witness to testify concerning the light”. When proof is needed that an event has occurred or something was said or an agreement was made, we call on a witness to testify to the truth. John the Baptist came not as the light, but as a witness to testify to the light of Jesus in the world (verse 8). Witnesses in the book of John give us another reason to believe.

John then tells us that to all who received Him, Jesus gave the right to be part of God’s family, His children, born of God (verses 10-13). When we receive Him, we enter into a relationship with God, one that God created so that we could know him, so that we could believe.

He became flesh and lived among us (verse 14): fully human and yet fully God! This shows God’s amazing love for us, that He sent His Son to live among us so that we could see His glory. When we see Jesus, we see God; when we know Jesus, we know God. Through knowing Jesus, we can believe.

In verse 17, John discusses the law given by Moses and how Jesus fulfilled all of it to show us truth and grace. This is what God intended for us to learn through the Law, but we needed Jesus to show us how. As we see Jesus teaching truth and showing grace in John’s gospel, he have another reason to believe.

John’s gospel is the good news that we need, and was written to help us believe. As we read John together, we can look forward to building our belief through seeing Jesus as one with the Father, as the light, with witnesses and with making us family, along with being a living example and the fulfillment of the Law. As we believe, we can then “have life in his name” (John 20:31), a life of faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus!