I have chosen the Gospel of John as the subject. These articles will not run contiguously on this blog but peppered throughout and in the midst of other articles (though some might be posted consecutively). I pray that these will be a blessing and an edification for the saints.
JOHN 4:39-42
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word;
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
We reached the end of the dialogue between the LORD and this Samaritan woman; at its conclusion, the LORD revealed to her that He is indeed the Messiah of Israel (JOHN 4:25-26). He had just told her to go and get her husband - that is to say, the man that she was living in sin with (who wasn't her husband), but instead of doing that, she leaves Him and His just-arrived disciples and goes into the city to declare her astounding discovery.
Not exactly who we might deem a worthy evangelist for the LORD: an adulteress. Yet such were some of us (1 COR 6:11); and like the blind man, we attest to the truth that we once were blind, but now we see (JOHN 9:25). She testifies of that which she has seen, that which she has heard, that which she has touched (in regards to communicating with the LORD Jesus; 1 JOHN 1:1-2), and like all witnesses, she has an audience, who must have found her testimony credible enough at least to warrant investigation.
The text indicates that there were some, who upon hearing her testimony, believed, but others came to see for themselves and were likewise persuaded because they then asked Him to stay with them.
Our testimony can avail much in leading others to the LORD Jesus, just as the Holy Spirit testifies of Him and even the Father Who draws people to the LORD Jesus (JOHN 6:44; 15:26-27). Whether by the word of the testimony of saints, or the other Members of the Godhead - sinners are drawn to Jesus, but there comes a point where they must make a decision themselves.
Drawing does not equate saving, but in bringing in closer blind sinners that the Light of God may enable them to see Jesus . . . HEB 2:9 . . . crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
We cannot 'piggy back' our faith upon that of another - whether that other may be our missionary parents, or best friend by whose evangelism, thousands have come to faith, or a son who has become the Dean to a notable seminary - but express faith individually in Christ, as the apostle Paul states to the saints at Corinth:
2 COR 1:24
Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
There is no branch of the Vine that abides in another branch which abides in the Vine; each branch abides solely in the Vine (JOHN 15:1-6); likewise our faith in Christ is on an individual basis regarding salvation and all of the spiritual operations of justification (ROM 5:16), sanctification (1 THESS 4:3), mortification (ROM 8:13), vivification (ROM 6:4), and so on.
The faith of the Samaritans is specific - this is Jesus the Christ, not merely a Good Teacher (though He is; EPH 4:21), not merely a prophet (though He certainly is that! MATT 13:57; 21:11), not merely a way to God - but THE Way (PROV 8:20) - and THE Truth (PROV 8:6-8) and THE Life (PROV 8:35), which the Messiah of Israel would bring to His people; not merely the most moral of men (even so, the Supreme example of such; JOHN 8:46).
The world may admit as much of Jesus regarding His being a good teacher, prophet, moral man, etc. but never the exclusive means of salvation (JOHN 14:6; ACTS 4:12), much less that He is God manifest in the flesh, which the Messiah actually is, according to the abundant testimony in Scripture. Yet salvation hinges upon Who we perceive Jesus to be:
MATTHEW 16:13-17
13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
These rightly identified the Messiah, having heard His Word, and understood that He would be manifest to the world and expressed faith original to them all (ROM 10:9-10,17-18).
May we all examine our hearts and lives to be sure that our faith in Christ is original to us (2 COR 13:5), not based on the faith of another and that as a result of said faith, we demonstrate the living nature of it through the good fruit (MATT 7:17-18) and good works (EPH 2:8-10; 1 TIM 5:25; TITUS 3:14) that come about by such genuine faith as spoken of in JAMES 2.
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