By Rev. Ron Purkey
Guest Columnist

Read: John 1:1-14

By Rev. Ron Purkey

“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3)

John had two purposes in mind when he wrote his gospel: 1. to prove that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and 2. To invite people to believe in him and be saved (John 20:30–31). John’s evidence for the deity of Jesus Christ is threefold: 1. The miracles Christ performed; 2. The words Christ spoke; and 3. The testimony of witnesses who knew Christ.

As you read the gospel of John, you will hear Christ Jesus speak and act in power, and you will watch people respond to what he says and does. Seven witnesses declare that he is the Son of God:

First, John the Baptist: “And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:34)

Second, Nathanael: “Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.” (John 1:49)

Third, Peter: “And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:69)

Fourth, A man who had been blind: “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.” (John 9:35–38)

Fifth, Martha: “She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” (John 11:27)

Sixth, Thomas: “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28),

Seventh, the apostle John: “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 20:31).

Finally, Jesus, himself, also declared his deity: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” (John 5:25)

“Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” (John 10:36).

In John’s Gospel, the invitation is “Come and see!” There are 67 references in the Gospel of John to seeing and 58to hearing. John says, “He was full of grace and truth.” The word “full” means that you just could not have any more. He brought all the deity with him, and he was full of grace and full of truth when he came down here.

We have a decision to make. We must be sure to make the right decision.!

Read Ron Purkey’s Bible study outlines at www.rcpbibleoutlines.com free on the website. Purkey has been an ordained Baptist minister for 50 years.