Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Multiple sources that I have seen over the years have recommended the gospel of John for the purpose described because it is a narrative of events (rather than an abstract discussion of issues); because it contains multiple extended teachings by Jesus; and because (as John himself indicated in John 20:30-31) it was written for the specific purpose of bringing the reader to faith in Jesus and thus to eternal life in His name.

May 13 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Danny Hickman Supporter Believer in The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

Book? Verse, is a better way to look at this issue. What verse or narrative is a good way to reach an unbeliever with the truth of where we stand with God. An unbeliever 'Ain't Gettin' Ready' to sit still long enough to hear a whole book about something he or she doesn't believe to be true, or worth hearing. 

There are New Testament stories that might be able to get an unbeliever to take notice.

1) The lost (prodigal) son of Luke 15 (31 verses); (2) the woman at the well with Jesus of John 4; and (3) Jesus taking a night meeting with Nicodemus in John 3, in which is the most popular verse in the whole Bible: "For God so loved the world..." (vs 16)

These three are worth a try. 

The first is a story about a son who already had that for which he left his father's house to go out into the world to find. (I don't think he had a clear picture in his mind of what he was looking for). The second is about a woman who had gone through five husbands looking for something to quench her insatiable thirst for security in life. (She knew what she was looking for, but she was trying to find it in a man. Humanity can't make humanity secure). The third is the story of a teacher who doesn't have a basic knowledge of what he's called to teach. He's supposed to be able to teach the equivalence of writing skills, but he doesn't even know the alphabet yet. (This is the person who doesn't know what he doesn't know, but thinks he knows).

An unbeliever, if he or she can be honest with themselves, can relate to all three. 

An unbeliever is a person who has declared that they don't believe God; it goes beyond just not being saved yet; it's a declaration that they've weighed the evidence and are unconvinced of its truthfulness. But they didn't begin life there. They left a place that was closer to God. They need to return to that place. (It's where the prodigal son was before he left home). God will be there waiting.

It's where the woman at the well was before she started looking for a husband; one who would love her and take care of her; one who would be her first and last. She probably had a father who loved her before she went out on her own.

Nicodemus had been called to be a teacher of Israel. Tradition had become his area of expertise. He taught it well. He needed to relearn the Scriptures. He came to Jesus searching for answers. Was Jesus the Messiah? That was what Nicodemus was trying to find out. He came to the right place to find the answer. He asked the Word if He was the Word that he was supposed to teach. 

An unbeliever is a lost son who will only find security in life by learning and believing the truth of God's Word!

14 hours ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report