43) The Book of John

JOHN the beloved apostle focuses upon the deity of the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus as God never was born; therefore, there is no genealogy in the book. The eagle-like cherub and the LORD as the Branch picture the deity of Jesus Christ (Isa. 4:2; 11:1; Rev. 4:7). John focuses upon the unique qualities of Jesus Christ in order to reveal the true Christ and the true Saviour (John 4:42; 20:30-31). The true Saviour must be God in order to save the lost (1 Tim. 4:10).

The book of John is the beginning point for a lost man to seek God because the purpose of the book was to reveal that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Saviour who is the Christ of God (Acts 4:26; Rev. 11:15). False Christs cannot predict the details of their death, rise from the dead, trace their lineage to Adam, and prove a sinless life. Christians sing about the Lord Jesus and no other religious founder has that special recognition. Heathens use the name of Jesus Christ as a cuss word and the names of false Christs are not used because they have no power. The unique qualities of the Lord Jesus can only be fulfilled by God.

John wrote five books of the Bible and all of them appear to have been written after the full revelation of the gospel of the grace to God to the believers. John reveals the new birth of the believer (1:12-13). The word believe and its derivatives occur over 90 times in the book and the one sin that sends a person to hell is refusal to believe in the Lord Jesus (16:7-11). Belief is connected with the new birth (l John 5:1-4). Personal belief in the Lord Jesus as Saviour warrants eternal life in heaven (John 3:16; 5:24; 6:47; 10:10; 14:6; 20:31; Acts 16:31).

John also reveals the closeness of the living Word of flesh and the written word. The word Word is capitalized seven times in the Scriptures (John 1:1, 14; 1 John 1:1; 5:7; Rev. 19:13).

The LordJesus and the written word of God are inseparable (14:23). Both give life and light (Ps. 119:105; John 6:63; 9:5; 10:10). Both are involved in the new birth (l Peter 1:23). Both have two natures; the manhood and deity of Jesus Christ and the words of men are divinely inspired by God (2 Time 3:16-17). Love for God is demonstrated by one's love for His Book (John 14:23). Both can be destroyed (death), yet both live forever. Both are counterfeited, but both are preserved flawless for eternity. Both have authority and power (Eccl. 8:4; Heb. 4:12). Both prophesy in detail (John 13:19; Gal. 3:8). Since Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh (l Tim. 3:16), the 1611 Authorized King James Bible is the mind of God manifest in a Book. The book of John contains 21 chapters and 879 verses.