20:31John 20:31

The record of Jesus' signs, life, death, resurrection, and ascension was written to lead people to believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah and Redeemer, and that by believing they may have life through His name.Ms 155, 1904, par. 18–19+2 His miracles were recorded as evidence that God sent Him, with healings of visible disease meant to build confidence in His unseen power to forgive sins.SC 49.3+1 Believing means personally accepting Christ as the Saviour who forgives sin, which is essential to salvation and opens the opportunity to know God in a way made so clear that even those without learning need not go astray.Lt 148, 1901, par. 6–8+2 That life was bought at a price beyond computation and is offered to every person of every nation, standing, and religion, so that nothing but a person's own choice can keep him from salvation through Christ.DA 403.2–3+3 Those who receive its vitality, peace, and assurance are to carry the truth to those who have not heard it and to those in spiritual darkness.Ms 155, 1904, par. 18–19+2

The things written in the Gospel, including its record of signs and of the life, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, were written to lead people to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah and Redeemer, and that by believing they may have life through His name.Ms 155, 1904, par. 18–19+4 That written testimony presents Jesus as a risen Saviour, set forth in clear and forcible witness borne with power after Christ had ascended.AA 569.1+1

Christ's miracles were recorded as evidence that God sent Him and that He is the Son of God.SC 49.3+1 His healings of visible diseases were meant to build confidence in His unseen power to forgive sins.SC 49.3 Counterfeiting those works can lead people to explain them away as products of human skill and power, to lose faith in Christ, and to reject the mercy offered through redemption.PP 264.4

John's testimony turned many from unbelief, but it disturbed those in power.AA 569.1+1 The Romans, who had crucified Christ to please the Jews, sought further to please them by silencing John's voice among Jew and Gentile, and banished him to the Isle of Patmos.18MR 76.3

Believing in Jesus is believing the word of God and accepting Christ personally as the Saviour who forgives sin, and this belief is essential to the salvation of the soul.Lt 148, 1901, par. 6–8+1 Believing brings life through His name, which is the opportunity to come to know God.ST May 17, 1899+1 The Holy Spirit reveals and impresses on the mind the vital truths on which salvation depends, and the way of life is made so clear that even those without great learning need not go astray.ST May 17, 1899

This life is the gospel of good news and great joy, secured because Christ has made believers His own by buying them with a price beyond computation.21MR 115.3 God presents salvation to all and gives it to those who believe, with assurance of His love in the written testimony given for this purpose.8MR 46.4–5+1 The gift is open to every person of every nation, social standing, or religion who will come to Him, so that social, national, or religious barriers cannot keep anyone from Christ and faith can cross them.DA 403.2–3+1 Nothing but a person's own choice can prevent sharing in salvation through the promise in Christ, and the sending of disciples on mission establishes this larger charity with truth to be planted in all hearts so Gentiles are no longer left in heathenism as if kept in the outer courts.DA 403.2–3+1

This evidence in God's Word should give believers vitality and Christ's peace.Ms 155, 1904, par. 18–19+1 Belief in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, is central to true faith in Him, and His miracles point to that identity as evidence that God sent Him.ST Jan 11, 1905+1 Counterfeiting those works or explaining them away as products of human skill and power can lead people to explain them as human power, to lose faith in Him as the Messiah, the Son of God, and to reject the mercy offered through redemption.ST Jan 11, 1905+1

The written signs testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing in him brings life through his name, and this evidence in God's Word is to give believers vitality and Christ's peace.Ms 155, 1904, par. 18–19 That vitality and peace carry a calling to take the truth to those who have not heard it.Ms 155, 1904, par. 18–19 Scripture reveals the plan of salvation so that people may believe in Jesus and find life through him, and as believing brought the Waldenses comfort, hope, and peace, so it moved them to share these saving truths with people in spiritual darkness.4SP 77.2

Believing in Jesus gives life, and this gift is open to all people of every nation who will come to him.ST Dec 10, 1894 The sending of the disciples on mission breaks away from narrow conservatism and prejudice against other nations in order to establish a larger charity, with truth to be planted in all hearts.ST Dec 10, 1894 Gentiles are therefore no longer to be left in heathenism as if kept in the outer courts of the temple.ST Dec 10, 1894 Life is given so that people may come to know God and believe in Jesus' name, so a patient's recovery is a mercy that can give the patient this opportunity, not a reason for the physician to take the credit.Ms 25, 1900, par. 4