The Simplicity of Faith: Naaman's Path to Cleansing
2 Kings 5:14
Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
At first, Naaman was not willing to do what the man of God said! He was actually angry about it, thinking that there were better, cleaner rivers in which he could dip himself besides the river Jordan. It’s amazing to me to see the parallel between Naaman’s initial response to the Word of God and the average response we see today when the Word of God convicts sinners of their sins. Conviction often makes men angry at first. People generally do not like to hear that the ONLY way for them to be cleansed of their sins is to go to the Living Water, the Lord Jesus Christ, in repentance of their sins. Men are always looking for alternative ways to get to God, attempting to by-pass Calvary’s crimson flow. However, Jesus taught that He was THE way, THE truth, and THE life, and that no man could come to the Father, but by Him!
Naaman’s servants pointed out to him that if something hard were required of him, he would have gladly done so, and that he might as well do what the man of God said! The same is true for many today, for it is human nature to feel that you have to do something bigger than life in order to gain the favor of God. This is where all man-made religions come from. Men try to fix their own sin problems by doing good works, and by attempting to help God out with their salvation, thinking that they can somehow attain to the height of God if they try hard enough.
Friend, do not attempt to add to or take away from God’s salvation plan, for in doing so you’ll come up short every time! It is often that God requires things of us that logically make no sense to our natural man, yet when obeyed in faith, brings about the results that God said they would. To the sinner I say, trust Christ and Christ alone to save you. There is nothing we can contribute to the work of salvation, for it is purely a work of Grace. Stop trying, and start trusting! Turn from your sins to Christ, and He shall cleanse you of your spiritual leprosy with His own blood, and wash your sins away, making you white as snow in His sight! Look nowhere else for redemption but the blood of Christ, and your thirsty soul shall never thirst again!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
At first, Naaman was not willing to do what the man of God said! He was actually angry about it, thinking that there were better, cleaner rivers in which he could dip himself besides the river Jordan. It’s amazing to me to see the parallel between Naaman’s initial response to the Word of God and the average response we see today when the Word of God convicts sinners of their sins. Conviction often makes men angry at first. People generally do not like to hear that the ONLY way for them to be cleansed of their sins is to go to the Living Water, the Lord Jesus Christ, in repentance of their sins. Men are always looking for alternative ways to get to God, attempting to by-pass Calvary’s crimson flow. However, Jesus taught that He was THE way, THE truth, and THE life, and that no man could come to the Father, but by Him!
Naaman’s servants pointed out to him that if something hard were required of him, he would have gladly done so, and that he might as well do what the man of God said! The same is true for many today, for it is human nature to feel that you have to do something bigger than life in order to gain the favor of God. This is where all man-made religions come from. Men try to fix their own sin problems by doing good works, and by attempting to help God out with their salvation, thinking that they can somehow attain to the height of God if they try hard enough.
Friend, do not attempt to add to or take away from God’s salvation plan, for in doing so you’ll come up short every time! It is often that God requires things of us that logically make no sense to our natural man, yet when obeyed in faith, brings about the results that God said they would. To the sinner I say, trust Christ and Christ alone to save you. There is nothing we can contribute to the work of salvation, for it is purely a work of Grace. Stop trying, and start trusting! Turn from your sins to Christ, and He shall cleanse you of your spiritual leprosy with His own blood, and wash your sins away, making you white as snow in His sight! Look nowhere else for redemption but the blood of Christ, and your thirsty soul shall never thirst again!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill