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The Gospel of John, The Period of Consummation, Part XXV, John 20:30,31 - Lesson 202
John 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
This was what the works or signs of Jesus were for.
They were for a people who needed experiences to bring them to a mature faith of simply believing God's word.
Jesus told his followers to simply believe him that he was in the Father.
If they could not do that then examine his works and believe.
The higher plane is to believe his word.
But if you cannot do that believe him because of his works.
This can only be done because Jesus Christ is God.
The devil can perform mighty works but we are not to believe them because we have the word of God to believe.
We are equipped by the word of God and we do not need experiences to believe.
Experiences or signs must be rejected as from Satan.
That is why heaven is silent.
If heaven added signs today to God's word how would we know which signs to believe?
Are these signs of the devil or are they from God? God is not the author of confusion.
Read Verses John 20:30, And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
John mentions that the risen Christ showed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that John did not record.
Many of these are recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.
Luke records that Jesus appeared to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus.
He records that he ate with the eleven.
He records his opening their understanding to understand the scriptures.
Matthew records his appearing to them in Galilee, his declaration that all power was given unto him in heaven and earth, his commissioning them to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the triune God.
Other signs are recorded in Acts and 1 Corinthians.
John, by this verse, recognizes the existence of other books besides his own.
By telling that Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples John encourages the readers of his book to read the other Gospels to get further light about the events that took place after the resurrection.
There are other books about it. He wants you to read them.
John 20:31, 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.
John wrote about the resurrection signs that Jesus did in the presence of his disciples to accomplish one purpose.
John did not merely write them for an historical purpose but for a much higher purpose.
That we may believe on him through his word!
That all might believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one, the one to whom the Old Testament prophets pointed, the Savior of sinners, and the Son of God, the second person of the Godhead; that, by this faith, they might obtain eternal life, by his mercy, truth, and power.
These things are written that we might have faith in the written revelation which God has given of his Son.
That faith ushers in life and all that is included in that word - salvation, immortality, and eternal glory.
Only God's word can have that high purpose.
No other book dare even come close to such a high and lofty mission.
And John intends for that to happen by simply believing what he has written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
The book of John is sufficient to bring a sinner to believe in Christ to the saving of his soul. |