The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Woman

  • The Truth Shall Make You Free

    “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”

    John 8:32

    In John chapter eight, Jesus was teaching the people. While He was teaching, the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery. They proceeded to tell Jesus what the Law of Moses said should be done. She should be stoned. They asked Jesus what He said about it. “This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not” (John 8:6).

    “So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them,He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” (John 8:7). Jesus just went back to writing on the ground. “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst” (John 8:9). Jesus did not accuse them. He did not have to say anything else. Jesus waited for them to recognize that each and every one of them was a sinner. This is the place that every person who hears Jesus must come: recognize that each person is a sinner (see Romans 3:23).

    “10. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11. She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her,Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:10-11). Jesus did not condemn this woman (see John 3:17). He told her what she must do: “go, and sin no more.” She must have a change of heart and life (see Romans 10:10; Hebrews 10:26, and 2 Peter 2:20-22).

    Jesus then taught the people more. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). He not only wanted them to recognize He was the light, but all who followed Jesus fully would have that light. This is the second “I Am” statement Jesus made (see the first in John 6:35). All Jews knew that “I Am” is God (remember Moses learned this in Exodus 3:13-14). Jesus is the Son of God.

    However, these Pharisees would not acknowledge Jesus for who He was. Because Jesus understood this, see what He told them. “Then said Jesus again unto them,I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come” (John 8:21). All who reject Jesus will die in their sin. “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24). This is the same today. Each person must acknowledge that Jesus is God, the only one who can take away sin and give the gift of eternal life (see Romans 6:23).

    “28. Then said Jesus unto them,When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things” (John 8:28). Jesus wanted them to understand what it was that He came to do: to pay the penalty for man’s sin by His death on the cross (see Romans 5:8, 1 John 2:2, and 1 John 4:10).

    “As he spake these words, many believed on him” (John 8:30). At this point, many understood and believed. However, Jesus wanted them to understand it was more than a “mental assent” to Jesus. Belief demands a changed life (see Romans 12:1-2). “31. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him,If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). The truth of who Jesus is and what He did for me sets me free from sin and death (see Romans 6:14, Romans 8:2, and 1 Corinthians 15:56-57).

    Many of the people Jesus was speaking to believed that it was enough that they were literal children of Abraham, of whom received the promise from God to be His people (see Genesis 12:1-3). “They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham” (John 8:39). Jesus had already taught the people the only work one can do for salvation: “28. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29. Jesus answered and said unto them,This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:28-29). If you remember, Abraham believed in the Lord (see Genesis 15:6).

    Jesus wanted them to understand this required a change of thinking. “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56). Before they had looked forward to the Messiah. Jesus was teaching them that Messiah had come, for Jesus was whom they had been looking.

    Do you notice anything familiar in these teachings of Jesus? Jesus taught the people the way of salvation – only through true belief in Jesus that brings a change of heart and life.

    Have you recognized you are a sinner, who needs Jesus to set you free?

    The Way of Salvation also found in Romans

  • The Woman at the Well

    “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

    Luke 19:10

    Jesus spoke to people right where they were. We can read that Jesus explained the Gospel message to the Samaritan woman by water, which she had come to draw. “4. And he must needs go through Samaria. … 6. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour” (John 4:4, 6). Notice that Jesus knew that He needed to go through Samaria. Even though Jesus came first to the Jews, understand that He did not come exclusively for the Jews. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

    When this woman who lived in Samaria went to the well to draw water, Jesus asked for a drink. “9. Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.11. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?” (John 4:9-11). This woman recognized that Jesus was not a Samaritan, but she did not know who Jesus was. He began to explain to her. “13. Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13-14). She answered like most people who want temporary needs met. “The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw” (John 4:15). Instead of meeting her temporary, physical need, Jesus wanted to give her lasting salvation. However, this woman needed to recognize her lasting need. “16. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.17. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18. For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly” (John 4:16-18). It is at this point that she is beginning to understand that this man was different. “The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet” (John 4:19). She began to explain that she had a religion (see verse 20). However, Jesus explained to her that a religion would not do. “21. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:21-22). This woman was focusing on a religious practice in a place. Jesus turned her attention to the Father, God. Worship was not in rituals or ceremonies (religious practices), but real worship must be in spirit and in truth. “23. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). God seeks people who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. However, when this woman did not know how to do this, she told Him what she did know. “25. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he” (John 4:25-26). She did not need a religion. She needed a relationship with Jesus.

    Jesus told this woman what she needed; living water that only comes by faith in Jesus. Jesus then let her know that He knew everything about her, helping her belief. Although she was not a Jew, she was watching for the Messiah – and He presented Himself to her, personally. What did she do with that information? “28. The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29. Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (John 4:28-29). She not only believed but went back to town and told everyone. They came and met Jesus for themselves.

    What happened because of the woman’s witness? “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” (John 4:39-42). The Samaritan Woman believed, “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman” (John 4:39).

    Have you forsaken religion for a relationship with Jesus, then telling others of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world?

    Learn how to meet Jesus: How to be saved.

  • God Made Me

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    “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”   John 1:3

    Have you ever stopped to think about God’s creation? Have you ever thought, “What is the greatest thing God created?” There are so many wonderful and beautiful things that God made. Picture the mountains, beautiful sunsets, the ocean, a full moon as it rises, and so many other amazing things in God’s creation. But have you ever considered that the greatest thing God created was you? There are a few things we can find in God’s Word that brings us to this conclusion. 

    Remember first that God created the world in six days. At the end of the first five days, God declared that it was good. Even on the sixth day after God created all of the animals and everything that creeps on the earth, God declared that it was good. But on that sixth day there was a special creation. “26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:26-27). God made man in His image; a man and a woman. After this, we find that God declared that his creation was “very good.”

    God created man perfect, without sin. He made man with the intent that they would be “holy and without blame” (see Ephesians 1:4). But more than that, God created man to have fellowship with Him. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). He wanted to walk with us.

    As we read Genesis chapter three, we find that Adam and Eve disobeyed God when Eve was beguiled by Satan, bringing sin into the word which caused separation from God for all of mankind. This meant that man could no longer fellowship with God as before because of this separation (remembering that before this they had walked and talked with God in the garden). Even though man failed greatly, God promised One would come to bridge the gap between sinful man and God (see the first promise of this in Genesis 3:15) which would restore that fellowship. Although Adam and Eve did not know who that One was, they believed God’s Word.

    Throughout the Old Testament, there were many who watched for that One promised by God to come. Jesus, God’s only Son, came into the world for me (and you). He came so that I could have the opportunity to fellowship with God again – if only I would believe. “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). When Jesus came, He came to destroy the work of Satan. “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

    God made each and every one of us. If one would take time to read Psalm 139:1-18, they could understand that even King David understood just how special each person created by God is. One of the most important things that each person should understand is that God created me. He made me a unique individual. And God created me to have fellowship with Him. God has a plan for me. But because of sin that separated man from God, each person must trust Jesus to reconcile them, restoring that relationship.

    Sadly, there are few people in the world today that truly understand their worth in God’s eyes. By remembering the importance of each person, and the great love God has for them in the sending of His only Son, Jesus, to bring them back to Him, we can once again understand the importance on our part to receive the great gift God has made available to us.

    What have you done with this realization?

    Originally posted at: http://lighthouse.pub/blog/2020/04/06/god-made-me/?src=n