John 20.30-31 gives the summary purpose for the book. “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

These verses are one of the proof texts used to support the first part of Answer #3 of the Westminster Shorter Confession: “The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.”

So according to the Bible, we (men) are to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the one prophesied throughout the Old Testament.  Jesus is part of God’s plan from the beginning.  The patriarchs; the Exodus; the Law and the sacrifices; the judges, kings, and prophets; the genealogies all point to Jesus as the Christ.  And all the New Testament gospels and letters declare Jesus as the Christ, bringing into focus his authoritative teachings and signs.  The disciples and followers of Jesus had the advantage of knowing him and hearing his explanations of how the Old Testament applied to him (Luke 24.27).

We are also to believe that Jesus is the Son of God.  He is truly God as well as truly man.  He is Emmanuel, God with us.  As holy God, he is righteous and without blemish or sin.  As just God, he will judge upon his return. As loving and merciful God he died on the cross to exchange his righteousness for our sins.

And we are to believe that our faith in Jesus will lead to life. John 3.16 rings strongly to support this idea: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” 

John wrote his book so that its readers would believe these things. All men are supposed to but sadly not all do. Heaven awaits those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Amen.