It may seem odd to start our study of the Gospel of John with a passage that comes almost at the very end of the Gospel, but that is exactly what we will do, because in this passage (John 20:29 - 31) we are told why this Gospel was written and how it can help us.
These verses describe Jesus' previous visit to the disciples after his resurrection. They were all there except for Thomas. When they told him about it, he said, in effect, "Seeing is believing". He himself wouldn't believe that Christ rose from the dead unless he could touch the nail-scarred hands of Christ. When Christ appears again to them this is exactly what He allows Thomas to do. "My Lord, and my God," Thomas said. At this point he realized that Christ did rise from the dead and that He is both Lord and God. What Jesus answer to this late confession? Here is the passage (verse 29):
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John continues (verses 30 -31), and this is where we come in:
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.
By reading this Gospel of John's, we too can say with Thomas, "My Lord and my God!" But it doesn't stop there. "And that by believing you may life in His name". The more we study this book, the more we see Christ and the more we grow in faith in Him.
Question: What are other promises for those who read God's Word? There are several and they apply here as well, of course.