John reveals that JESUS is the long-promised and long-awaited CHRIST the MESSIAH of Israel, GOD's SON and SAVIOUR of the world. HE is the LAMB of GOD who takes away the sin of the world. And HE promises eternal life to everyone who believes this claim.
The emphasis throughout is on this free gift of eternal life offered to those who believe. Almost every chapter contains both an invitation to believe and a reason to believe in JESUS as the CHRIST, the SAVIOUR. In fact, the word believe occurs nearly 100 times to reinforce this main point.

So, for many believers in JESUS CHRIST, John's Gospel was their first exposure to the life-changing truths of GOD's Word. It was from these pages that GOD quenched their thirst for living water, the eternal life CHRIST offers to those who will receive it. No wonder Christians love this book so! It is GOD's inspired introduction to HIS SON. This is a book which leads to the faith in GOD's SON which brings eternal life.

Life's Most Important Question

What must I do to have eternal life?

That's the most important question you will ever ask.

As you read through this Gospel you will find that eternal life comes not by doing, but by believing: ...... ''whoever believes in ME has eternal life'' (John 6:47).
John will give you plenty of reasons to believe. In chapters 1-12 you will read of seven miraculous signs, or miracles, which point to the fact that JESUS is the SON of GOD. Then, in chapters 13-17, you will marvel at the compassion and wisdom of JESUS as HE teaches HIS disciples on their last night together before HIS death. Finally, in chapters 18-21, you will stand in wonder at the foot of the Cross, as CHRIST dies for the sins of the world, and then later rises from the dead, just as HE had predicted. Throughout, you will find men, women, boys, and girls, everyday people with everyday problems, putting their faith in JESUS. They will conclude that JESUS is who HE claimed to be, ''the SAVIOUR of the world, the CHRIST!'' (John 4:42).

This book is GOD's answer to life's most important question, ''How can I have eternal life?''
Regardless of what some people may say, JESUS offers the free gift of eternal life to all who believe.
Receive GOD's gift through faith, believing in GOD's SON. Faith, or belief, means trust. The moment you trust in JESUS as the ONE who is the CHRIST, the ONE who gives eternal life freely, eternal life is yours, just as HE promised.

PROLOGUE

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with GOD, and the Word was GOD.

HE was in the beginning with GOD.
All things were made through HIM, and without HIM nothing was made that was made.
In HIM was Life and the Life was the Light of men.
And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from GOD, whose name was John.
This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world and the world was made through HIM, and the world did not know HIM.
HE came to HIS own, and HIS own did not receive HIM.
But as many as received HIM, to them HE gave the right to become children of GOD, to those who believe in HIS Name,
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of GOD.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld HIS glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the FATHER, full of grace and truth.
John bore witness of HIM and cried out, saying, ''This was HE of whom I said. 'HE who comes after me is preferred before me, for HE was before me.' ''
And of HIS fullness we have all received, and, grace for grace.
For the law was given through Moses; but grace and truth came through JESUS CHRIST.
No one has seen GOD at any time. The only begotten SON, who is in the bosom of the FATHER, HE has declared HIM. (~John 1:1-18~ NKJV)

Each and every person who received the LORD JESUS CHRIST by believing ''in HIS Name'' became a child of GOD. When they believed HIS claims about HIS Name, that HE was the CHRIST, the SAVIOUR of man, they were receiving HIM. The result of believing was that they were, at that moment, born of GOD. That is, they were given GOD's life (eternal life) and were born into HIS family.

And nothing has changed since John wrote these words. Anyone who will receive JESUS CHRIST by believing in HIS Name becomes a child of GOD.

THE LAMB OF GOD

The next day John saw JESUS coming toward him and said, ''Behold! The LAMB of GOD, who takes away the sin of the world!''
John 1:29. John the Baptist, a prophet from GOD, proclaims JESUS to be ''the LAMB of GOD who takes away the sin of the world.'' This refers to JESUS' mission from GOD the FATHER. JESUS came to earth to die on the cross for the sins of the entire world so that believers in HIM could obtain eternal life.
By dying on the cross JESUS did for us what we could not do for ourselves: HE solved our sin problem.

''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 3:16. This is probably the most quoted verse in the Bible. The reason for its popularity is clear. It gives GOD's way of salvation in a nutshell. GOD loved us so much HE sent HIS SON to die on the Cross for our sins. As a result, when we believe in HIS SON, we will never perish in hell but will possess eternal life forever.

''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.''

John 4:14. The water of life is the wonderful truth that JESUS is the CHRIST who gives salvation to every believer. This truth produces in the believer a ''fountain'' from which flows everlasting life. Since that life lasts forever, no one who takes the living water will ever get thirsty, that is, need everlasting life again.
One drink of the water JESUS offers quenches a person's thirst for everlasting life. GOD's gift of everlasting life is permanent and cannot be lost.

LIFE AND JUDGEMENT

''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 judgement, but has passed from death into life.''
John 5:24. JESUS promises everlasting life and escape from judgement to all who will trust in GOD's word about HIM. GOD the FATHER sent JESUS the SON to give everlasting life to all who believe.

THE BREAD OF LIFE

And JESUS said to them, ''I am the bread of life. He who comes to ME shall never hunger, and he who believes in ME shall never thirst.''

''Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in ME has everlasting life.''
''I am the bread of life.''

John 6:47. This is one of the clearest and simplest expressions of the Gospel, the Good News about JESUS CHRIST, in all of Scripture. Faith in JESUS brings eternal life to the believer. Notice that nothing is added to simple faith. There is no mention of baptism, surrender, church membership, or good works. If we believe in JESUS, we have everlasting life.

THE TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE

[i]Then JESUS said to those Jews who believed in HIM, ''If you abide in MY word, you are MY disciples indeed.''
''And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.''
JESUS answered them, ''Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.''