Our Security for Eternity - the Gospel of John Sample

Read: John 3:22–36

SOAP: John 3:35–36

The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under his authority. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son will not see life, but God’s wrath remains on him.

As we continue our study of the Gospel of John, let’s review some fundamental truths about this account of Jesus’ ministry. First, this account is not always in chronological order; this Gospel is organized to prove to John’s readers that Jesus is the Son of God and the only way to eternal life. The events are recorded in a way that makes sense thematically, not always in the exact order in which the events occurred. Second, the first twelve chapters focus on Jesus’ public ministry. These chapters display what the world saw Him do and heard proclaimed about Him and by Him.

In today’s reading, we are again introduced to John the Baptist, the witness sent to testify about who Jesus is. John’s confidence in who Jesus is and what He came to do is a challenge to us in our own faith. Do we believe these testimonies about Jesus? Do we believe He is who He says He is?

When John’s disciples expressed concern that people were flocking to Jesus instead of to him, John corrected them. John knew his purpose was not to take away from the work of Jesus but to point people to Him. John had no delusions that he was Christ; he clearly proclaimed that he was not, and pointed them to the One who is. John’s words in verse 30 give us a beautiful way to live our lives: “He must become more important while I become less important.”

John (the author) concludes this scene with a narration about Jesus, the One sent from God. He alone speaks the words of God, and He gives us the Spirit. The Father has placed all things under His authority—there is nothing He does not see or does not know. When we believe in Him, we receive eternal life. But, as John reminds us, we cannot forget that if we reject Him, we will not receive this life. Instead, we will receive God’s wrath.

Jesus is the only way to eternal life. We do not receive life if we place our faith in both Jesus and other religions. If we believe any religion or god can save us, then we do not truly understand or believe in Jesus, in who He is and what He has done. He was not merely a good teacher, a good man, or a prophet. He is the Son of God, and He alone is the way to eternal life.