The Cost of Discipleship
While eternal life is given freely as a gift to those who trust Christ, God desires for believers to grow in this life through loving obedience and in the power of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus stated, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15 NKJV). The fruitfulness of a disciples' life is what brings glory to God and is evidence of God's reality to a lost world. "By this is My Father glorified that you bear much fruit, so you will be My disciples" (John 15:8 NKJV). This fruit will express itself outwardly and can be seen by others through the love that Jesus' disciples have for one another. As Jesus revealed, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34, 35 NKJV).
John also reveals that committed disciples would bear fruit through the outward public confession of Christ before men. The first reference of this in John's Gospel is John the Baptist. When asked to identify himself, John the Baptist confessed, "I am not the Christ" (John 1:20 NKJV). Rather, John the Baptist explained to them that he was the fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3 as he declared, "I am the voice of the one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the lord" (John 1:23 NKJV).
In contrast, John records in his Gospel that some would possess a saving faith in Christ, but because of their lack of commitment, they would not confess Him before men. "Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (John 12:42, 43 NKJV).
John also contrasts the confession of a blind man who was healed, to the man's parents, who failed to confess Christ. In this story, John shows the growth of the healed man's understanding of who Christ is as well as his confession of Him. Initially when asked by the Pharisees how he gained his sight, he answered, "He put clay on my eyes and I washed, and I see" (John 9:15 NKJV). The second time the Pharisees asked him about Christ, the healed man had grown in his understanding and confession and responded, "He's a prophet" (John 9:17 NKJV). Finally, Jesus asked the healed man, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" He answered, 'Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?' And Jesus said to him, 'You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you' Then he said, 'Lord, I believe!' And he worshiped Him" (John 9:35-38 NKJV). It is apparent that this healed man's confession grew with his understanding of who Jesus is. First, he referred to Jesus as "a man"; then "a prophet" and finally he understood and confessed Him as the "Son of God". In contrast, when the healed man's parents were asked by the Jews, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?' (John 9:19 NKJV). His parents responded, "'…by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.' His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was the Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore, his parents said, 'He is of age; ask him'" (John 9:21-23 NKJV). His parents refused to make the commitment to confess Christ because they feared losing the approval of men more than they feared God.
Jesus warns those who will not confess Him before men. "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38 NKJV). In contrast, those who are willing to confess Him before men will later be rewarded before the Father in heaven (Rev. 2:26-28). However, this commitment of confessing Christ will often come at a cost to the faithful disciple. The cost to the healed man who boldly confessed Christ was complete rejection by the religious leaders who then cast him out of the synagogue (John 9:34). Jesus warned His disciples of this spiritual conflict. "If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you…. A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:18, 20). This persecution that the disciples would face would not only be rejection and excommunication, but even execution. "They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service" (John 16:2 NKJV).
The "outward" expression of love and confession of the faithful disciple is the result of an "inward" personal abiding in Christ. The term "meno" is used in the Gospel of John forty times and means to abide, dwell, remain, or to continue. "Then Jesus said to those who believed Him, "If you abide [meno] in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31, 32 NKJV). Jesus is teaching that the person who remains or continues in the Word is a disciple who will know the truth. This truth will set a person free from the bondage of sin. As Jesus continued, "whoever commits sin is a slave to sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:34-36 NKJV). A slave to sin cannot set himself free but must have Christ set him free. While a slave is not a permanent member of a house, a son remains a permanent family member with family privileges. For the child of God, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is permanent. The born again believer is also empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a life that is free from the power of sin.
Jesus showed His disciples the means by which they could live fruitful lives. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:4-7 NKJV). In order for a branch (disciple) to produce more fruit, it must abide, which means to dwell, to remain, to sink deeper. The way to abide in Christ is to lovingly obey. As Jesus said, "If you keep My commandments you will abide in My love" (John 15:10 NKJV). The result of not abiding in Christ has serious consequences as the person is "cast out as a branch". This represents a loss of intimate fellowship with the Lord. In addition, the person is "withered" which represents a loss of vitality. Lastly, the person is "burned" which reveals a loss of reward at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:15). The end result of abiding in Christ and obeying His Word is the joy of a deeper understanding and experience of His love. "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full" (John 15:11 NKJV). Jesus then explained, "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends , if you do whatever I command you" (John 15:12-14 NKJV). If a disciple is to abide, he must obey Christ, which means he must love other believers. Jesus gave us the ultimate model of love for his disciples by His life of sacrificial service and the laying down of His life. We are to follow His example of humility and service to others. If His followers obey His command to love, then Jesus will reveal Himself in the "upper room" intimacy of His friendship.
In John 12:23-26, Jesus stated, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." It was Jesus' death on the cross that resulted in many who would live for God. Jesus taught the principle that when a seed dies, it produces fruit. This principle not only applies to nature but also spiritually. Likewise, disciples of Christ must die to themselves, their own self will, and self-serving lifestyle so that they can follow Jesus' example of serving God and others. To hate one's life involves the establishment of priorities so as to serve Christ above everything else. To "follow" Christ means that a disciple should follow His example of self-sacrifice in order to realize eternal purposes.
Jesus explained that he would manifest Himself to those who love and obey him. "If anyone loves me, he will keep My Word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23). This reveals that God will disclose Himself in a special intimacy and loving relationship with those disciples who keep (treasure) His Word.
Salvation
The major distinctive of John is found in his purpose statement in 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." There are three points which are emphasized in this statement. First, it declares Jesus is the divine Son, God's Messiah to the world. In his Gospel, John records seven miraculous "signs" that Jesus performed which confirm His Messiahship (John 2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-18; 6:5-14; 6:16-21: 9:1-7: 11:1-45). In addition, He records Jesus' seven "I Am" statements which confirm His deity (John 6:35; 8:12; 10:7; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1). The second point that John emphasizes is the proper response to this revelation that Jesus is the Christ: "that you may believe." John's message is clearly evangelistic with the intent that the readers of his Gospel may come to believe. The third emphasis in his statement is the outcome or the result of belief: "that believing you may have life in His name." The conclusion is that by believing in Christ, a person obtains eternal life simply based on faith alone in Him. This clearly corresponds with John 3:14-18: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John points out that just as the Israelites were saved by looking upon the repugnant uplifted image of the serpent on the pole; so too, those who look upon the uplifted Christ on the cross, would receive eternal life. John's phrase "that whoever believes in Him" can literally mean to "believe into" Him. This confirms Paul's message that believers are "baptized into Christ Jesus"… (Rom. 6:3 NKJV) and "For by One Spirit we were all baptized into one body…and have all been made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:13 NKJV). Therefore, this word "believe" reveals that when a person trusts Christ, he receives eternal and spiritual life. That is why John wrote, "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 1:12 NKJV). To receive means to "welcome with favor". Many however choose to slam the door on Christ and reject His invitation to receive eternal life. John presents this theme of rejection and reception throughout his Gospel. This spiritual birth that a believer experiences is reinforced in John 3:3 when Jesus told Nicodemus, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Jesus went on to explain "That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is spirit" (John 3:7 NKJV). This spiritual new birth is the act by which God gives spiritual life to those who trust Christ. John also reveals through Jesus' teaching to the Samaritan woman that eternal life is a gift of God to those who ask for it. When Jesus asked her for a drink, she asked Him "How is it that You, being a Jew ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, 'if you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water'" (John 4:9,10 NKJV). The woman then inquired as to where to get this living water. Jesus then answered, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:13-14 NKJV). This living water which represents eternal life is given freely as a gift from the source of life itself, Jesus Christ. Again, Jesus confirmed this free gift of God. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish…(John 10:27, 28 NKJV). In this passage, the sheep's "hearing" represents their believing. As a result of their believing, He gives them eternal life. John 10:9 also expresses the idea of salvation through faith as Jesus said, "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved." Jesus is metaphorically referring to Himself as the door. He also pictures the response of faith as entering the door. In John 6:54 Jesus stated, "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." Again, this notion of feeding on Christ is an analogy of the faith by which eternal life is received.
In another example, Jesus corrected the idea that one must work for eternal life. "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you…. Then they said to Him, 'What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?' Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent'" (John 6: 27-29 NKJV). Jesus is clearly stating that eternal life is provided as a free gift apart from any works of righteousness.
In chapter 17, Jesus prays for Himself, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him" (John 17:1,2 NKJV). Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus made reference to the cross and His "hour" (2:4, 7:30). Jesus was asking that His mission would be made known to the world. This in turn would glorify and reveal the Father's love and justice through the cross. Secondly, God would give eternal life and forgiveness of sins to all who believe in His Son. In conclusion, John's Gospel clearly presents faith alone in Christ alone as the only condition for the salvation of man
