The Gospel in John

Why is This Important?

Acts 15:1 “And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.””

False Gospels

Prosperity Gospel

What do I get out of it?

Relative righteousness - based on temporal value system

Kingdom Gospel

Political

Geographic

Earthly

Lordship Gospel

Trust and Obey

Cheap Grace

Submit to Christs Lordship

Social Gospel

Social Justice

Interfaith

No Standard, Humanism

Self-help Gospel

A Better Person

Elevates Individual

Old Wine Skins

It is not “unless you are baptize, you cannot be saved.”

or “unless you persevere in good works, you cannot be saved.”

or unless you make Jesus Lord of your life, you cannot be saved.”

Paul to the Galatians would call these Judaizers.

Rev 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” see John 4:14 “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.””

We are to embrace the Great Commission Mt 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

We are to be soul-winners Prov 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.”

What is the Gospel?

John 20:31 “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Believe

Jesus

Life

What is faith?

πιστεύω PISTEUO To consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one’s trust, to believe. To entrust oneself to an entity in complete confidence, To believe (in), to trust (BDAG). Assurance.

Now we shall possess a right definition of faith if we call it a firm and certain knowledge of God’s benevolence toward us, founded upon the truth of the freely given promise in Christ, both revealed to our minds and sealed upon our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Calvin, Institutes 3.1.7

It is not mental ascent, but kinda. Faith deals with sight, understanding, and knowledge; It leads to trust, confidence, and assurance. It goes from the mental understanding of the Word to the ascent of will to trust the Savior.

John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 5:24 ““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

John 6:28-29 “Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.””

John 6:40 “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.””

John 6:47 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”

John 10:9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”

John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

John 11:25-26 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?””

John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

John 20:30-31 “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

What is Everlasting Life?

From now to forever

Eternal life

What’s Next?

John 5:39-40 “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”

Acts 17:27 “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;”

Understanding what the gospel is we can know what the gospel is not.