The Thoughts of Wesley son of Cornelius

After Paul, John’s works contribute the most to the New Testament. The Apostle John is credited for 5 letters: Gospel of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation. They are now part of God’s holy and perfect Word, the Word which was in the beginning. When I heard the term “inspired word of God,” I use to visualize God somehow telling the author, “Write!” And the author would just start writing. Now I visualize it a little different. I visualize the author—John in this case—writing a letter to particular recipients to express his thoughts. “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31 NIV) I believe John wrote several sections and then stopped. Some sections may not have made the final copy. Each time he would get caught up in the Spirit, like those times that I have when wonderful ideas in the Bible connect. At the end, he would have a satisfying personal work. In his ignorance, he would not realize that God was using him to produce an infallible book (an authors dream if you ask me).

Was this how it happened? I do not know for sure, but it seems real. And reality is what John was expressing in his books. “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.” (1 John 1:3, 4)

Near the end of John’s life, he ends up on the island of Patmos (probably a Roman penal settlement). Here he would see a great vision of the end of the world. The book a Revelation was given to him directly this time. He even adds this at the end: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” (Revelation 22:18, 19)

This book ends the collection of God’s book, the Holy Bible. The words are at times comforting, sometimes painful, divisive, peaceful, or encouraging. But they are infallible and perfect. When does trouble begin: when the words are ignored, softened, or changed because the Word is jealous (Ex. 20:5), firm (2 Ti 2:19), and unchangeable (Heb 13:8).

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” (Gospel of John 1:1,2)