As a boy, I travelled with my family to visit relatives in Northern Ireland. While there, we took a day trip to the coast, to a place called Carrick-a-Rede. After parking the car, we walked to the cliff’s edge, where we noticed a small wooden bridge, connecting the cliff to a massive rock jutting out of the sea. Everyone, but me, began to walk across the bridge. I was too terrified, as I peered down at the rocks and waves below. However, I soon noticed a sign, assuring visitors that the bridge was safe to cross. Cautiously, I took one step, then another, then another, until I eventually made my way across the bridge.
In many respects, that incident reminds me of the nature of saving faith. When I first read the sign, assuring visitors of the bridge’s sturdiness, I understood the message. I even gave mental assent to it. However, I could not really claim to believe it, until I took my first step. Saving faith is just like that, meaning it involves much more than mere mental assent to the gospel. When we truly believe, our mind accepts, our heart embraces, and our will chooses.
Jesus makes this clear: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (Jn. 7:37–38).
First, Jesus identifies a need:
“If anyone thirsts …” The cause of this spiritual thirst is our alienation from God. When Adam and Eve disobeyed in the garden, they—along with all their descendants (including you and me)—fell into bondage to sin and death (Gen. 3). As a result, we were cut off from the One who’s boundless in His being, omnipotent in His power, unsearchable in His wisdom, inconceivable in His grace, and infinite in all His perfections. This alienation is the cause of our spiritual thirst.
Second, Jesus extends an invitation:
“Let him come to me and drink …” Upon the cross, Jesus bore God’s judgment in our place. We enter into the blessings of Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice when we “drink” Him (i.e., believe in Him). When we eat food and drink water, we assimilate it, meaning it becomes part of our bodies. Likewise, when we eat and drink Jesus, we assimilate Him. That is to say, our mind accepts Him, our heart embraces Him, and our will chooses Him.
Third, Jesus issues a promise:
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” According to the next verse, the “living water” is the Holy Spirit. This means that, when we believe in Jesus, we become partakers of the Holy Spirit who brings us into fellowship with God. We rest in Him as the dearest father, wisest guide, strongest shield, greatest good, closest friend, kindest comfort, finest beauty, deepest truth, and sweetest love. As a result, our thirst is quenched. In a word, we’re “filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19).
