Faith Footsteps: Tenth Episode
I’ve chosen more faith footsteps from the gospel of John whose writing is unique by not using the word ‘faith’ even once but instead ‘believe’; in fact, the word believe is found almost 100 times! It’s obviously not because John didn’t hear Jesus say ‘faith’ which is the noun but chose instead the verb: believe. To John, our faith, trust, persuasion, and reliance is always an action word.
Right from the start John wrote of the Baptizer whose assignment was to identify the Messiah, Jesus, so that all might believe and those who received this faith He gave the right to be called spiritual children of God: born of God (John 1:6-8, 12-13). That was a great start but by chapter 3 John heard Jesus use the negative, not, more often than I realized, another unique quality of John’s gospel.
Directly after our beloved John 3:16 passage Jesus spoke about what God did not do (condemn the world) and the consequences if we don’t believe.
Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:18
Jesus also rebuked people, especially religious leaders, for desiring signs and wonders to prove His identity (also 6:28-30) or they defiantly won’t believe but He always responded to faith:
The official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. John 4:49-50
Notice the man asked Jesus to ‘come’ but Jesus declared to ‘go’ gauging his faith; would he take the necessary faith footsteps? He did. Not only did he believe (action) but his entire household believed! Check out these verses watching for the word ‘not’ connected to believe: John 5:24, 36-40, 44-47, 6:64-65, 10:25-26, 37-42, 12:37-46. It’s overwhelming.
I guess it’s time to gauge your own faith; are you actively believing in God’s promises? Are you praying but your prayers are not supported with His Word? What scripture, God’s infallible Word, are you believing? Find that promise in the Bible and declare it back to Him; God honors people who believe His Word.
John recorded a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well where Jesus (chapter 4) asked for a drink of water (lower story) but then directed her attention to the upper story: a spring of water welling up to eternal life. He encouraged her to believe in Him and that faith drove her footsteps back home with a testimony that led many more to faith.
What’s your personal testimony? Have you ever developed the series of events in your life that led you to believe in the Son of God? Think about it, write down the times you felt God drawing you, and share those faith footsteps when you can.
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