What are these unshakable truths? They are found in John’s Gospel – and turn out to be profound revelations from the Son of God’s own lips.
NO ONE can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:3)
NO ONE can come to me unless the Father Who sent me draws him (John 6:44).
NO ONE comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).
NO ONE takes it (life) from me, but I lay it down of my own accord (John 10:18).
NO ONE can snatch them [true Christians] out of my hand (John.10:28).
NO ONE will take away your joy (John 16:22b).
The cultural epidemic of today’s post-modern thought provokes a common disregard for the idea of absolute truth - people say that your truth is fine for you but mine is fine for me also – but no truth covers us both. Yet, the biblical statements examined here by Wetterling show that truth can be absolute, and forever.
“No one is a more convincing advocate of the Gospel than a man deeply in love with the Savior, his Word and his world. JD Wetterling writes with a passion for each that no one can miss, nor should.”
Bryan Chapell, President, Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri
“You, like me, probably are often casting about for a readable book to put into the hands of a thoughtful, unconverted acquaintance. I plan on keeping copies with me, as I travel, to give to people who show an interest in talking about the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Joey Pipa, President, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Greenville, South Carolina
“JD Wetterling clearly explains six key verses from the gospel of John that all Christians should take to heart. He emphasizes God's sovereignty and the assurance that deepens among all those who fully trust in Him.”
Marvin Olasky, editor-in-chief of World magazine and author
"JD Wetterling has given us nothing less than the gospel in all its simplicity, beauty and glory. If this message is news to you, read this book and let God speak to your soul. If this is news you have heard a thousand times, allow yourself to hear it again, and let your faith be strengthened and renewed."
Tim Challies, uber God-blogger at challies.com
"When life is shaken down to its most essential properties, when we are confronted with life and death choices, what becomes most important? In his forceful book, 'No one...', JD Wetterling touches on the essential issues and questions that challenge us to make sense of life for the present as well as for eternity. JD writes like he lives: straight and honest, with a spirit of concern for everyone's eternal destiny. He flew many missions as a combat pilot, but none were as important to him as the one he has set out in this book. Now he is fighting for the souls of men and women to know the certainty of life, which is true and eternal. And he does this by pointing us all to Jesus Christ, the only Savior who can and does secure eternal life for all who believe."
Dominic Aquila, President, New Geneva Theological Seminary, Colorado Springs, Colorado
"The first time I read something that JD Wetterling had written—a guest column in The Wall Street Journal—I knew I had to get to know this man better. Indeed, because what he said in those few words was so compelling, I picked up the phone and called him, even though I’d never heard of him before. JD Wetterling knew then—and he still knows—how to capture the biggest ideas in life in a few arresting words, and he does that wonderfully in 'No one...'. He’s the kind of writer who makes you yearn to sit down and talk some more with him after you’ve finished reading what he wrote."
Joel Belz, founder of World magazine
"JD Wetterling is right on target. In a book that can be read in a couple of hours, the absolute truth of the Bible is presented in a compelling manner. 'No one...' is a must read for the seeker and will be enjoyed by every believer as they are refreshed again with their salvation."
Mack Griffith, Chaplain, US Army
Monergism Review:
“No One...”: When Jesus Says It, He Means It, is a clear and helpful little book that occupies a unique place in a world of postmodern uncertainty and academic elitism. In a simple, unadorned, and yet heartfelt style, J.D. Wetterling gives a concise presentation of a handful of truths that are both rock-solid in a world full of shifting-sand epistemologies, and practically applicational for a people that have been left without moorings by the prevailing popular opinions which decry all absolutes. Throughout its length, this book is characterized by that rare combination of diverse qualities which was most perfectly expressed in our Savior: a no-nonsense affirmation of absolute truth together with a true compassion for those who have been deceived.
The Gospel of John has long been recognized for its beautiful and well-crafted chains of related sayings or events, which work together to form a harmonious whole. Some well-known examples would be his seven “I Am” statements, and his seven sign-miracles. In “
No One...”: When Jesus Says It, He Means It, J. D. Wetterling has picked up on another such series of related statements from the Gospel of John which has not been as commonly recognized or discussed: the “No one” sayings of Jesus. Like the other Johannine saying-series, this one reflects a theological development from the beginning of the gospel to the end: starting with the absolute necessity of divine monergism in the initial stages of salvation, it concludes with the unshakeable certainty of the eternal preservation and joy of those in whom this process of salvation has begun.
In a brief and easy-to-read format, Wetterling unpacks each of these six significant statements: “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again”; “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him”; “No one comes to the Father except through me”; “No one takes it [life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord”; “No one can snatch them out of my hand”; and “No one will take away your joy”. As these sayings unfold, the result proves to be the same as that of all of Jesus' words and actions: an utter undoing of any thoughts of self-sufficiency in any arena of life, combined with an absolute peace and certainty for all who have fled to Jesus alone for salvation.
Following the text of the book are three appendices which may prove to be as helpful as the book itself. These include a brief description of the five “points of Calvinism,” together with lists of scripture passages that support each point; and a very brief and easy-to-understand summary of the gospel, together with a passionate call to sinners to cry out to Jesus for salvation. These simple features will make this book a valuable tool to hand out to friends and relatives who are either unsaved, or else plagued with a man-centered theology.
“No One...”: When Jesus Says It, He Means It, is not a detailed exposition, or an exegetical masterpiece. It will probably not become a revolutionary new way of approaching Johannine studies. What it will prove to be is only this: unapologetically true; unabashedly simple and straightforward; undeniably sympathetic and heartfelt. This might make it less influential in the scholarly spheres, but it is exactly what will make it impacting in the world in which we live, a world desperate for solid truth and drifting in the hopeless seas of postmodern relativity and meaninglessness.
--Nathan Pitchford
