The scene with the woman at the well is quite remarkable, and the scene provides us with a stopping point to make an important point of distinction. We note the obvious presence of water in John 4:1-29.
In verse 10, Christ refers to “living water”. The first post on the gospel of John recalled the scene of Abraham and Lot choosing separate land, and the post reviewed the righteous choice involved. We cannot mistake the righteous choices confronting us throughout the gospel of John. We cannot, however, make these righteous choices on our own or claim that these choices are what make us righteous.
The righteousness of a decision does not make the decision righteous and certainly does not bestow righteousness upon ourselves. If either were true, then we would have a pathway to righteousness by works and would no longer need Christ.
We drink water daily. In verse 13, Jesus says that drinking water means we “shall thirst again”. We continually need inputs into our lives to sustain life. Notice that even water is not something we create. Water occurs all around us. That which we find in our environment is what sustains us. We did not put it there, and we are dependent upon our environment providing the sustenance we need.
“Living water” has its source in Christ Himself. There is no more thirst, for all we need is satisfied and provided through Christ. It is salvation, yes, though it is more than salvation. On what did Abraham rely in choosing Canaan? It is clear that Abraham had a certain trust in God, the hand of God, and the providence of God.
We exist by the providence of God. Throughout the remainder of the gospel of John, we will see references similar to John 4:14, such as John 15:1-5 with Christ as the vine. Abraham did nothing apart from God. Even in allowing Lot to choose first, Abraham depended completely on the providence of God. Especially in placing Isaac on the altar, Abraham trusted in the sufficiency of God.
We must see that any righteous choices we make are not righteous because of the decision but because the decision is enabled through the providence of God and trusts in the sufficiency of God’s providence.
Before we go further, let’s consider a passage of Scripture from Colossians 3:1-10, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him”.
Let’s observe two important considerations. First, “the things that are on earth” are our default. If we review the story of Lot and Abraham parting ways, Lot chose what he could see with his eyes. He saw fewer droughts, an easier go of things, and more lush landscape, which in that day all translated into an opportunity to build wealth by earthly standards. Abraham instead set his “mind on the things above” which allowed him to trust in the promises and providence of God in spite of earthly poverty or prosperity. This decision may be more costly and difficult from earthly standards, however, he tapped into far more resources in the heavenly realm.
Second, Colossians 3:10 teaches us that we are being renewed, regenerated, or renovated into “the image of the One who created him”. On its face, Colossians 3 appears to indicate that we “set our minds on the things above” on our own power and that this decision is the righteous choice. Not so. Instead, our ability to make the righteous choice stems from the renewal which the Holy Spirit is undertaking in our hearts and minds. There is a responsibility on our part, but it is not making righteous decisions or consciously living righteously. Rather, our responsibility is leaning into God for the strength, grace, and providence to live out this life on earth and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform the inner self. Our righteousness is a product of the renewal God is undertaking within us. In the NASB, the footnote to the word “renewed” is “renovated”. This means, our hearts and minds undergo a complete transformation, and this is the work of the Holy Spirit. Our responsibility is, like Abraham, to trust in the grace, promises, and providence of God in spite of what we see from an earthly standpoint.
All of this is why any righteousness we may display is not our own but the inner work of the Holy Spirit transforming, renewing, and renovating our hearts and minds. Romans 12:1-2
This is what Christ means when He refers in John 4 to “living water” and “a well of water springing up to eternal life”. The living water from Christ is the source of the strength and grace we need to lean into His promises and providence to rise above the challenges in this earthly life. The living water from Christ is also the source of all we need to embody the image of God in righteousness.
Like this post? Subscribe to stay up to date on new posts.