John 4:39-42 From that city, many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”
What a wonderful encouragement and truth is revealed in these verses. We see two kinds of faith. There’s the faith that comes from hearing someone’s testimony about Jesus. Then there’s the faith that comes from hearing Jesus, Himself. In chapters 3 and 4, John gave us examples of this truth. The first kind of faith isn’t saving faith. It’s a natural faith, like that of Nicodemus, who came because of the signs Jesus did. The signs are undeniable, so Nicodemus believed He was from God. Likewise, these Samaritans believed in Jesus because they couldn’t deny the testimony of the woman.
Paul wrote of the contrast between hearing someone testify about Jesus and one hearing Jesus, Himself, when he wrote to the Romans in chapter ten, verses 16-17. He pointed out that Isaiah, who had been sent by God as a prophet to testify of the good news of the Messiah, wrote that just hearing about the Messiah isn’t enough. Paul wrote, “However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed our report?’” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” That is John’s point in these verses. The faith that comes from hearing the word of Christ by the power of the Spirit is a saving faith. John said, “Many more believed because of His word.”
That has been my experience as well. I heard about Jesus from the time I was a little boy. I came to a point at the age of twelve that I could not deny the testimony about Jesus, so I invited Him into my heart. However, there was no change because it wasn’t an encounter with Jesus that happened. It was an encounter with others who testified of Him. I based my initial coming on the testimony of others. But, when at the age of 29, I heard the word of Christ as He told me I was full of pride and revealed the sin that He had seen in me, and then spoke peace to my heart as He revealed that He knew me at the cross, a saving faith came. I no longer believed because of what others said about Jesus, I believed because I had an encounter with the living Jesus Christ, and He revealed Himself and gave Himself to me. So, I totally get what these guys were saying to the woman. Do you?
This encourages us that we are not responsible to produce saving faith or to get someone to believe in Jesus. That’s God’s work. We enter into His work, as the disciples did, as we live to love with Jesus, and lead them to an encounter with Him. That’s what the woman did. She said, “Come and see.” or “Go see for yourself.” We are encouraged that God is able to produce fruit for His glory through the power of the word of His Son. We can share our testimonies with confidence that Jesus can speak when we speak. We lead them to Jesus, encouraging them to talk with Him because He knows them and loves them.
