Wednesday, May 23, 2012

SIH’s Think On These Things: John 4:46-54

http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/sihs-think-on-these-things-john-446-54/


The healing of the nobleman’s son…This miracle is recorded for us in John 4:46-54. 

In this miracle, we find that a nobleman approaches Christ requesting that Christ travel to Capernaum to heal his sick son.  Based upon Jesus response (“Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe”) it appears that this man was not believing that Christ could heal his dying son… he was probably acting out of desperation, willing to try anything.

After desperately asking Christ to heal his son a second time… Christ responded by saying “Go thy way; thy son liveth”.   Then, we are told that “the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.”  By this we are not talking about a saving faith in Christ, this father mentally assented to what Jesus had claimed.  The father needed to return to his home to see if this miracle had actually been performed.  He traveled back and was told that his child had been healed.  This healing took place at the time Christ had declared that the young boy was healed.



It was at this point, that the father now became confident that his son had been healed by Christ.  The affirmation of the miracle caused him to recognize that Jesus as the promised Messiah, the Savior of God’s people.  The father then exercised a saving faith.  Based upon seeing this miracle take place, we are told that his whole house came to a saving belief in Christ as well. As we see in the Scriptures… “So the father knew that [it was] at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.”



In the life of this father we find three different ways that men can come to Christ: 

  1. Many come to Christ out of desperation due to some situation they are facing.  They are trying anything they can to escape their needy situation.  They have no spiritual interest in Him at all, they simply cry out to Him, not wanting to ignore any possible avenue of escape from their dilemma.  (John 6:26) This attitude we see in the father when he first approached the Lord.
  2. Many come to God with a head knowledge of who He is and what He can do for them.  They come sincerely exercising a human “faith”, making a mental assent of Christ without ever experiencing God’s grace in salvation.  (James 2:19)  This is what we see in the father following the word spoken by Christ.  It was a mental assent to the truth of His words without a reliance upon His person and work. 
  3. There are those who are brought to Christ, exercising a saving faith in His persons and work.  In the case of this father, it was just as Jesus had said… It was only after the father had proof the miracle was performed that he came to a recognition of who Christ really was.  This same saving faith was exercised by his family as well, following their recognition of the miracle that was performed and the Messiah who had performed it.



What type of faith have we exercised in Christ? 

Have we come to Him simply to relieve us of a earthly situation we are now facing and as soon as it is resolved we will depart from Him no longer needing or wanting Him?  

Have we come to a mental understanding of His truth, while never submitting to His Lordship?

Or have we come to a genuine faith in Christ, that has made us a new creature in Christ and a willing servant for His glory?



May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.




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