In the movie Full Metal Jacket, there is a scene where the drill sergeant confronts a recruit and screams, “What is your malfunction!” If I were answering that question, there would be several responses. But what if you were to be asked, “What is your function?”
The Gospel of John was written with a very specific purpose in mind – to convince readers that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him, they may have eternal life (John 20:30-31).
The Gospel of John is unique among the biblical books in that it explicitly states its evangelistic purpose. John wanted his readers to come to a firm belief in Jesus’ identity as the Messiah and the Son of God, so that they may receive the gift of everlasting life.
Unlike the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) and the Epistles, the Gospel of John uses simple and straightforward language, making it highly accessible to readers. This accessibility, combined with the clear purpose statement, highlights John’s desire to lead people to salvation through faith in Christ.
The book is structured around eight specific “signs” or miracles performed by Jesus, all of which point to His divine nature and the salvation He offers. These signs, along with Jesus’ own teachings and interactions, are carefully curated by John to build a compelling case for Jesus’ identity and the opportunity for eternal life.
In contrast to other biblical books that may assume the reader’s familiarity with the gospel message, the Gospel of John is the only book that is specifically written with the express purpose of making believers out of its readers. John’s aim is to lead the reader to faith in Christ, and this purpose is made crystal clear in the final verses of the book.
John’s writing is precise and consistent, which further reinforces his singular goal of guiding the reader to belief in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God. By following a clear outline and building a cohesive case, John ensures that the reader is left with a solid foundation for their faith.
CS Lewis put forth what has come to be known as Lewis’ Trilemma. This is sometimes referred to as “Lunatic, Liar or Lord.” Lewis’ argument is that Jesus did not give room to say that he was a good man. His words and deed left no room for such a judgment. One has to decide whether Jesus was/is divine or he must be a lunatic/liar.
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. ... Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God.
John’s Gospel puts forth this decision. So, I would like to ask you. What is your decision?
