The Commandment to Love Your Neighbor

The commandment to love your neighbor as yourself, proclaimed by Jesus in Mark 12:30-31, goes beyond mere words; it is a guideline for a life full of compassion and empathy. Loving your neighbor begins with a deep understanding of what it means to love yourself. It is not just about personal indulgence, but rather a recognition of your own value and a constant pursuit of well-being. This healthy self-love establishes the foundations for a genuine understanding of what it is to love your neighbor.

Jesus is love personified and longs for us to cultivate love for our neighbor as we have for ourselves. To understand this premise, it is crucial to explore the meaning of love. It is an affective feeling that instigates the pursuit of the neighbor’s well-being. The concept of love finds its maximum expression in the Holy Bible, where it is established as the basis of all conduct. The primary commandment is to love God above all else and, subsequently, to love our neighbor as ourselves.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:30,31, KJV)

When Jesus declares you shall love your neighbor as yourself, He calls us to extend the same care, respect, and consideration that we dedicate to ourselves. It involves the readiness to share joys and alleviate pains, to celebrate achievements and offer support in times of difficulty. This commandment transcends borders, uniting communities and breaking barriers. Loving your neighbor does not choose who deserves it or not; it is an expression of generosity that flows naturally from a compassionate heart.

Loving God with All Your Heart

Love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. (Mark 12:30, KJV)

The impact of the first commandment, as described in Mark 12:30, is remarkable, for Jesus guides us on how we should direct our love to God. He highlights four essential elements: heart, soul, mind, and strength. Loving God implies attributing value and esteem, seeking constant communion, guided by obedience, sincerity, and commitment to His will, honor, and glory on earth. True devotion to God manifests in sharing suffering for love of Him, following the standards of justice on earth and promoting the kingdom of heaven (Philippians 3:10,11).

God longs for a sincere, pure love inspired by His own love for us. The bond generated by loving Him above all things results in unwavering faith and fidelity to His promises, even in a world that often rejects us. By practicing love for our neighbor, we fulfill the second commandment highlighted in Mark 12:31. Loving your neighbor as yourself implies desiring for your neighbor the same blessings that we long for ourselves. This Christian love, directed to brothers in Christ and even to enemies, must be guided by love and devotion to God (Galatians 6:10).

Paul exhorts us to seize every opportunity to do good, especially to the family of faith, for we will be rewarded in due time.

Empathy as an Expression of Love

Empathy is the act of loving your neighbor. Empathy plays a fundamental role in this love for your neighbor. Putting yourself in the other’s place, understanding their struggles and joys, creates a deep human bond. This type of love is not selfish; it is an altruistic offering of kindness and understanding.

When we practice love for our neighbor, we are fulfilling not only a divine commandment but also contributing to building a more just and compassionate society. This practice goes beyond words, manifesting in tangible actions that reflect the essence of this sacred commandment. Therefore, loving your neighbor as yourself is a continuous journey of authenticity, generosity, and compassion. It is a living expression of divine love that, when embraced, transforms not only the life of the one who loves but also that of the one who is loved. May this commandment inspire us to build stronger bonds, promoting a world where love for your neighbor is the force that unites hearts and transforms lives.

Final Reflection and Inspiration

I close this study by sharing a reflective video about the kindness we practice today. May this content inspire and strengthen the commitment to divine love in our lives.

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you. (1 Thessalonians 3:12, KJV)

The Lord Jesus Christ desires that His church bear fruit, so that through these fruits, the name of the Father may be glorified in the heavens.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (John 15:1-3)

In the verses above, Jesus presents Himself as the vine and shows us God as the husbandman. God is the one who administers, who cares, who tends, and who removes imperfection so that, in this way, we can produce fruits of excellence. “Every branch that does not bear fruit is cut off.” The branch to which Jesus is referring is the one that has no capacity to produce fruit, the one that is lifeless.

When a person is no longer connected to the true vine, which is Christ Jesus, they dry up spiritually and die, just like the lifeless branches of a plant. The Christian, from the moment they accept Jesus Christ, undergoes a change in character and the desire to become increasingly like Jesus and produce fruits for the kingdom of heaven. Jesus presents two branches: the fruitful and the unfruitful. The unfruitful are cut off and thrown into the fire, but those that produce fruit are pruned to bear more fruit.

Abiding in the Vine to Bear Fruit

When we are in the presence of God, we are integrated into the true vine, which is Christ Jesus, and we produce fruit. We are pruned so that we can continue producing: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law! (Galatians 5:22-23)

All these fruits mentioned above come into existence because we are connected to the true vine. When we are in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, we produce the same fruits that He produced, we live as He lived, we speak as He spoke, and we walk according to His will and desire. When Jesus had said that Peter would deny Him three times, we can see here that the one who is connected to the true vine, which is Christ, is like Jesus.

Then after a little while those who stood by came to him and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” (Matthew 26:73)

When we are not part of the true vine, we produce the works of the flesh, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and other similar sins. Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

The Conditions for Bearing Fruit in Christ

Jesus Christ teaches us that there are conditions for us to bear fruit. The conditions proposed by Jesus consist first in abiding in Him, and from there, He will abide in us.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:4-7)

When we do not abide in Christ, that is, if we are not connected to Jesus through faith, we automatically become incapable of producing any fruit. If we are not in fellowship through faith in Jesus Christ, we will be like a branch removed from a tree. We will be like a branch that is cut off, because, not receiving the nutrients connected to the trunk, it begins to dry, its leaves lose their shine, wither, dry up, and fall, leaving only a dry branch.

When we do not have this connection with Christ, we also lose the shine of the Holy Spirit. Our soul becomes dry and we automatically die spiritually, making it impossible to produce any fruit. We understand that He, Jesus Christ, is the vine and we are merely the branches. When we are in fellowship with Christ, we produce fruit, but if we disconnect from Him, we automatically become unproductive.

Glorifying the Father Through the Fruits

Jesus declares with authority that without Him we can do nothing. When we are connected to the Lord Jesus and let His word abide in us, everything we ask of the Lord will be done. We become disciples of the Master when we begin to bear fruit, and when we bear fruit, God in heaven is glorified.

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. (John 15:8-17)

The production of fruit is extremely important in the Christian’s life, because through it the name of the Father is glorified through our lives. In the same way that Christ Jesus loved us, we must abide in the same love of Christ Jesus. The obedience we have to the word of the Lord Jesus and to His commandments makes us remain fully connected to the true vine.

It is of utmost importance that the Christian love their neighbor in the same way that Jesus Christ loved us.

We know what love is because Christ gave his life for us. We also ought to give our lives for our brothers and sisters. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. (1 John 4:16)

Jesus Christ does not place us as servants, because as servants we would not be able to know the purposes and plans of God the Father for each of us and for His church. Jesus places us as friends because everything that the Father revealed, He in the same way revealed to us, so that we have knowledge of all the Father’s plans.

Jesus’ Invitation to Bear Eternal Fruit

Understand that we did not accept Christ, much less choose Him, but it was He who accepted us, and beyond this acceptance, Jesus made us heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom. We understand that the Lord Himself chose each one of us, not only to dwell in heaven, but to produce fruits, and everything we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus will be granted to us.

Jesus is inviting us to produce fruits worthy of repentance. He is inviting us to bring more people into the kingdom of heaven. Jesus Christ teaches us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Christ teaches us that when we raise our hands for Him to accept us, a burning desire to produce fruit must be generated in our hearts.

Jesus Christ desires that, through our lives, the name of the Father may be glorified, and God rejoices greatly when we produce fruits of quality. Each of us can produce fruits for the kingdom. We were set free by the power of the word, grafted into the true vine, which is Christ Jesus, and for this reason, we can produce much fruit for the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 17:11-19 leads us to the following reflection! Are you grateful to God for everything He does in your life?

Gratitude means the recognition by a person of someone who has provided them with a benefit, help, or favor. Gratitude is a thank you. Many wonder why we should be grateful to God? The answer is simple, because we should be grateful for the simple reason that at dawn we rise, we are alive, healthy, breathing, seeing, walking, and speaking. We should thank God every day, because the Bible teaches us that we should give thanks to God always.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

There were ten lepers who, when they saw Jesus passing by, began to cry out to be healed. Those men could not approach, because their illness excluded them from society, but at that moment they were before someone who could heal them from their infirmities.

And it came to pass, that, as he went to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. (Luke 17:11-13)

Those men recognized that Jesus could do something for them, but unfortunately out of the ten, nine did not manage to return to thank for the miracle that the Lord performed in their lives. Only one returned in an act of gratitude, with humility to recognize what Jesus had done in his life.

And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, (Luke 17:14-15)

Only those who possess the humility to recognize can give thanks. It is regrettable to say, but many times we fail to recognize what God has done for us. We end up asking God for many things and unfortunately do not return to thank when we achieve them. Jesus, by sending the lepers to show themselves to the priests, as they went walking they achieved the healing of their infirmity. At that moment when all ten lepers were cleansed, only one returned to thank the master for what had happened.

And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? (Luke 17:16-17)

Many times we behave like the nine, we cry out, shout, weep, implore, but when we receive, unfortunately we do not return with humility to give thanks. It is regrettable when man lets the blessings fill the place of God in our lives. Jesus then asks: “Were not ten cleansed? Why did only one return?” Only one foreigner knew how to recognize what Jesus had done for him. Only those who possess humility can be grateful for the benefits that are granted to them. The humble person has a pure heart, they can reciprocate, just as that man returned in thanksgiving.

How many times are we blessed and do not return to reciprocate? How many times has someone helped us, encouraged us, and even shown confidence in us. And at certain moments we fail to help, to encourage other people, to trust, we fail to be grateful. We forget that one day someone used benevolence toward us, and with that we let gratitude and humility be taken by pride.

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? (Psalm 116:12)

The Psalmist in his most extraordinary wisdom leads us to an extraordinary reflection, where we stop and think. What could we give to God in thanksgiving for all the benefits He has done for us? The psalmist was concerned about wanting to give something to God for the benefits he had received. And today we too should have this concern, because it is through our worship that we offer an offering in thanksgiving for everything God has done for us.

For our reflection

This week, just this week. If we count from today’s date back to seven days ago, how many times did you thank God? How many times did you say to God thank you for the air I breathe, for the bread that feeds me, for the water that quenches my thirst, for what I possess, for the dawn, for the dusk? How many times did you say God thank you for my family, for my health, for my home, for my ministry, thank you for the dream that became a conquest? How many times did you give thanks? How many times did you stop this week and say to God thank you for everything?

Psalm 116:12 leads us to reflect that most of the time we behave like the nine, and not like the one, many times we behave selfishly, thinking that God must give us, and that we do not need to return and thank. The one who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan, and this Samaritan teaches us that the blessing is wonderful, but much better is to return and meet again with the blesser. That man teaches us that we should not behave like the crowd.

We conjecture that the nine, upon being healed, went to meet their families again, to put their lives in order. They were concerned only with themselves. The Samaritan was the only one who was concerned to return and thank the owner of the miracle. God is willing to bless everyone who cries out to Him and seeks with all their heart, but above all, God loves those who know how to receive and give thanks.

Therefore be grateful to God at this moment, many are descending to the grave, many are entering hospitals, but it pleased God that you are today with life and health. Be grateful for the family you have, be grateful for the job you have, for the air you breathe, for the breath of life, for being able to see, hear, speak and walk. Be grateful to God for the smallest things, because God loves those who at all times give Him thanks.

May with this simple study we understand that we must have humility when entering the presence of this so powerful God, we must recognize His power, sovereignty, mercy and glory. We must be concerned to thank God always!

Human beings live on memories and, unfortunately, we will always be remembered for our mistakes and defects. Human beings are subject to failure and error, and God is willing to forgive all who repent with all their heart.

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

When we recognize our mistakes and defects, ask God for forgiveness, and abandon old practices, God guarantees us that we will obtain mercy. Many people live in depression or ashamed of their past, because often those around us do not recognize us for what we have done or do that is good, but rather for our defects, mistakes, or sins. The Bible shows us that, regardless of our mistakes and defects, Jesus has open arms to receive us when we are willing to abandon the practice of sin.

The Story of Rahab: From Prostitute to Heroine of Faith

Before speaking of illustrious figures recognized for their mistakes and failures, I would like to start by asking a question for you to reflect on. When we talk about Rahab, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Possibly, many answered: Rahab, the prostitute.

And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. (Joshua 2:1-5)

Understand that, at this moment, Rahab enters history, because she was giving deliverance to those men and, in the end, giving deliverance to her family.

And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee. Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way. And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee. (Joshua 2:9-18)

Rahab asks for deliverance for herself and her family, but remember this question and the answer above. When we talk about Rahab, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Possibly, many answered: Rahab, the prostitute. Rahab leaves the book of Joshua and goes directly to have her name honored and written in the gallery of the Heroes of Faith.

By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. (Hebrews 11:31)

Rahab was now in the gallery of the Heroes of Faith, which is infinitely more honorable than the life she led. Rahab was a sinful woman, living in a pagan environment, but she believed in the God of Israel as the true and only God of heaven and earth. She abandoned the idolatry that Canaan experienced and now united by faith to Israel and to God, becoming also an ancestor of the Messiah.

And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias. (Matthew 1:5-6)

Rahab’s salvation illustrates the fact that, even in the face of judgment as was the case at that moment, God accepts any person from any nation who fears Him and does what is right.

Zacchaeus: From Sinner to Son of Abraham

Now we observe that, when Jesus enters Jericho, there was a man who was the chief of the publicans, a very rich man who was a tax collector; his name was Zacchaeus. The Bible says that Zacchaeus was a man of short stature, who, upon learning that Jesus had passed through that region, climbed a sycamore tree just to see who Jesus was. Zacchaeus just wanted to see who Jesus was, but Jesus wanted to make His dwelling in Zacchaeus’s life.

And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. (Luke 19:2-5)

Here we see the central basis of our study, which is to understand that often we will always be remembered for our failures, but never for our capabilities. Those who were with Jesus and heard the master say that He would be a guest of Zacchaeus simply pointed out Zacchaeus as a sinner.

And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. (Luke 19:7)

But the encounter generated between Jesus and Zacchaeus makes it so that, from that moment on, Zacchaeus was no longer the same, beginning to speak and act differently.

And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. (Luke 19:8-9)

Note that, for the crowd, Zacchaeus would always be the tax collector and sinner, but for Jesus, that tax collector was called by name, because he was most precious to the Lord Jesus. That tax collector just wanted to see Jesus pass by, but Jesus always has something more for those who desire to know Him; Jesus wanted to make His dwelling in Zacchaeus’s life.

Bartimaeus: From Marginalization to the Vision of Faith

The Bible also tells us that there was a man who was blind and begged by the wayside. In the eyes of society, he was just another anonymous person, because he lived begging and, in the eyes of society, could contribute nothing. The Bible relates that, one certain day, this man heard something different and sought to know what was happening. We understand that what he heard that day, at that moment, was not common, because where Jesus passes, nothing remains the same. We can conjecture that someone stopped and told that man that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by and, wherever He passed, the sick were healed, the paralytics walked, the blind saw, and the mute spoke.

The Bible relates that this man begins to cry out loud: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” The crowd told him to be quiet, not to bother the master, because the crowd thought that man had no value to the master. That one called Bartimaeus was able to understand that, at that moment, the one who needed the miracle was him, and that opportunity might not repeat itself. Bartimaeus cried out insistently and the Lord Jesus turned to him, and Jesus asked: what do you want me to do for you? Jesus knew what Bartimaeus needed, but Jesus wanted to hear from Bartimaeus his needs. See the great teaching, because those who need the miracle are us, and in no way does it matter to us what the crowd says; what matters to us is to take advantage of the opportunity to be with the owner of the miracle. For this reason, even if man remembers you for your failures, know that God remembers you for your capabilities and qualities.

Rahab the prostitute was remembered in the gallery of the Heroes of Faith; Zacchaeus the tax collector received Jesus in his house as his guest; the blind man of Jericho saw much more than the crowd saw with physical eyes, because that man, even without vision, Bartimaeus had faith and believed that Jesus Christ could change his story.

We conclude that it does not matter how you are remembered by men up to here, but what matters is how you will be remembered from here on; therefore, lift up your head, raise your hands to the heavens and let God write a new story for you, because you are extremely important to God. Man may remember you for your failures, for your mistakes, but God looks at you for who you are in His presence, that is, a precious vessel. May we be like the blind man of Jericho, who did not listen to what the crowd said, but gave place to his faith, which was infinitely greater than the voices echoing from the crowd.

Many who are arriving at this page are preparing to go down into the baptismal waters, and many others have already had the privilege of going down into the waters. But we will address here today what baptism in water is. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself was baptized in water, becoming an example for each of us who are willing to follow in His footsteps. Baptism is a symbol of conversion for the Christian, that is, the Christian who is baptized is publicly confirming the new life in Christ Jesus.

John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. (Mark 1:4, KJV)

Baptism is also the remission of our sins, for when we are baptized, we renounce our flesh to live in a newness of life. Baptism is a sign of commitment to Jesus Christ, it is a newness of life, for we leave behind old practices to live a new life according to the will of God.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV)

We can understand that when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ, and then desire to go through the baptismal waters, we are making a public confession not only of the change of life, but also of posture. In baptism, when we are immersed in the waters and upon emerging, the old man dies, that is, he is left behind and from then on a new creature is born according to the will of God. Upon going down into the waters and returning, there a new man is born, the production of the fruits of the Spirit is born. When we come out of the waters, our flesh is mortified and we intensely practice love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

Want an example? When Mario goes down into the waters, a Mario who was explosive, who did not accept insults, goes down. He comes out of the waters a peaceful Mario, meek, who has self-control. The old Mario was mortified and now a new Mario has been born, a new creature. When we raise our hands to the Lord Jesus Christ, we are confessing that He is the only and sufficient Savior of our lives. Our faith must be solely in Jesus, for only He intercedes for us.

Baptism is also unique and there is no need to be baptized again, for when we go down into the waters, we mortify the old self and thus become a new creature in Christ Jesus.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism. (Ephesians 4:5, KJV)

The old man will always try to resurrect in us, but as a new creature, we must intensely seek to produce love, peace, goodness, meekness, and self-control. We must seek in God every day the mortification of our flesh and our self. Going down into the waters allows us to participate in the memorial of the body and blood of Christ, which is the Lord’s Supper, requiring from the Christian consciousness and responsibility, so as not to partake of the body and blood of the Lord unworthily. Those who partake of the body and blood of Christ unworthily eat and drink damnation to themselves.

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:28-32, KJV)

We can understand and comprehend that if we choose to go down into the baptismal waters, we are also assuming a commitment to God and publicly before the church. This commitment that we assume we must carry with faithfulness until the end of our Christian walk. If we lead an improper life, that is, continue in the old practices, and partake of the body and blood of Christ, we will certainly be condemned and our end will be hell.

To conclude this study, we must understand that going down into the baptismal waters requires the one being baptized to look at himself, and understand that baptism is responsibility toward God. The one being baptized must be prepared to assume such responsibility. Yes, he must go down into the waters and like in a marriage, the one being baptized assume this responsibility until the end of his life. The Christian life is made of renunciation, for at every moment we must renounce our self, our flesh, so that we can achieve the great objective which is salvation in Christ Jesus.

You are privileged and congratulations for this achievement which is going down into the waters! Share this message and make other people be impacted by the power of God!

Many people wonder about the Bible: are there two Lazaruses, or are we talking about the same person? Who has never encountered the question: Is Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, and Lazarus the beggar the same? The answer is simple! We are not talking about the same person, as the Bible mentions Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, and Lazarus the beggar, and clearly makes us understand that they are two distinct people.

Who Was Lazarus the Beggar?

Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, enjoying himself splendidly every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now it happened that the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades he raised his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his arms. And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set, so that those who want to go over from here to you will not be able, nor will any people cross over from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I request of you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not come to this place of torment as well.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’ (Luke 16:19-31, NASB)

We observe that the rich man led a selfish life and his choice was very bad, and for this reason, when he died, he suffered eternally. Lazarus (the beggar) spent his life in poverty, but, unlike the rich man, he had a righteous heart toward God. Even living in poverty, he never abandoned his faith in God, and when he passed away, he was taken directly to paradise, to be with Abraham. The Bible teaches us that the destiny of the rich and the poor were completely irreversible. After the death of the rich man and Lazarus, their destinies could no longer be changed: the rich man went to hell and from there could no longer have contact with Lazarus, who was now in heaven.

The Bible teaches, through this parable, that many times we do not look with mercy on those around us and do not fulfill the commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:39, NASB)

This parable teaches us that we must kill our ego and help those in need. The rich man had a very good life, but his ego did not allow him to do good; his heart was far from God. Lazarus, the poor beggar, did not have much, but he had a righteous and God-fearing heart. Even if we do not have much on this earth, we will certainly have the abundance that God has prepared for us in eternal glory.

For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. (Matthew 25:35-36, NASB)

Who Was Lazarus, Jesus’ Friend?

Now a certain man was sick: Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. And it was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not meant for death, but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let’s go to Judea again.” The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and yet You are going there again?” Jesus replied, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks during the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” He said this, and after this He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going so that I may awaken him from sleep.” (John 11:1-11, NASB)

Now we are talking about Lazarus of Bethany, Jesus’ friend and brother of Martha and Mary. This Lazarus was struck with an illness whose purpose was to glorify God. Lazarus, Martha, and Mary were a family with extreme dedication to Christ, that is, they were in intimate communion, and Jesus loved this family.

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, and was listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42, NASB)

This communion and affection are generated from the moment Jesus enters the village and Martha receives Him in her home, but she was worried about her tasks. Mary was at Jesus’ feet, listening to His teachings; Jesus says that Mary chose the best part, which was not taken from her. Lazarus, brother of Martha and Mary, was facing the sadness and affliction of illness and, in the end, death. The Bible teaches us that today’s Christians will also go through similar afflictions. Christians will go through sorrows, afflictions, will be struck with illnesses, and will face death. We know that, for those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, illness will never result in death as a destiny, for everyone who believes in Christ Jesus will never die.

and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:26, NASB)

The resurrection of Lazarus teaches us that we will have churches like Marthas, Marys, and Lazaruses. Churches will always have the Marys who persevere in total devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Marthas who are busy with the affairs of this world, and also the Lazaruses who suffer and die so that the name of God may be glorified. The Lord, in no way, will leave us without His love, mercy, or compassion. We must understand that everything needs to be in God’s time, so that His glory may be manifested. The fact that Jesus delayed going to Lazarus and stayed two days in the place where He was does not mean that God did not truly love them. Jesus wanted to strengthen the faith of the family and the disciples who were with Him. Jesus expresses in various ways that He loved Lazarus and that He shared in the sadness of that family. Christ wept, showed the deep feeling of God’s grief with the sadness of His people. Tears rolled from Jesus’ eyes and then the Master wept in silence, and this serves as comfort to all those who suffer, for Jesus participates with us in our sufferings.

We understand that Lazarus (the beggar) and Lazarus (brother of Martha and Mary, Jesus’ friend) are two different people, in different stories, different moments, and different contexts. Perhaps you still want proof about Lazarus (the beggar) and Lazarus (brother of Martha and Mary, Jesus’ friend). Observe that when the rich man dies and goes to hell, Lazarus (the beggar) also dies and goes to heaven. The Bible teaches us that this process was irreversible, that is, it is not possible to reverse it, it could not change in any way. If Lazarus (the beggar) were the same as Lazarus (Jesus’ friend), we would enter into contradictions regarding what Abraham says.

But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set, so that those who want to go over from here to you will not be able, nor will any people cross over from there to us.’ (Luke 16:25-26, NASB)

The process that Lazarus (brother of Martha and Mary, Jesus’ friend) went through was infinitely different. Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, was going through a process whose objective was to glorify the name of God. It was a reversible process: Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, died, but in Jesus’ time, he would rise again, so that the name of God would be glorified. Knowing that the Bible never contradicts itself, it is concluded that they are people with the same name, but different people. Lazarus (the beggar) is one person and Lazarus (brother of Martha and Mary, Jesus’ friend) is another person. We conclude that in the Bible there are two Lazaruses: the beggar and the brother of Martha and Mary, Jesus’ friend.

God is able to move heaven and earth in favor of His people, in favor of those who seek Him and love Him. Many times, throughout the Christian walk, to reach God’s objectives, it is necessary for us to go through some processes. For these processes will make us grow in faith, in experience, and make us intimate with God.

We must understand that God’s ways, as well as His thoughts, are infinitely different from ours. Many times, God will lead us through different paths so that we can achieve His purposes.

God Leads Us to the Desert

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8)

In the process of the Israelites’ deliverance, we understand that God leads us to the desert to perfect our faith and obedience to His word.

And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. (Exodus 14:13,14)

And without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

God wanted the Israelites to trust entirely in His power and protection. God leads us to the desert to teach us that we should not fear those who can harm us. For our God is infinitely greater to grant deliverance to His people.

God leads us to the desert to make us firm and constant in His presence. We cannot have an oscillating faith before God, but rather we must have a faith that is constant.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

God leads us to the desert so that we can understand that it is not we who fight our wars. For the one who fights our wars is God and, therefore, we are more than conquerors.

God Leads Us to the Jordan

And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. (2 Kings 5:10)

There are moments in the Christian life when we will be invited to dive into the Jordan River. For many times we are like Naaman, not physically ill, but carrying something infinitely worse than leprosy, which is the self, elevated ego, pride and etc. Naaman thought that everything should be done according to his will, in his time and in his way.

In the walk of faith, many times we behave or encounter people like that. For this reason, God leads us to dive into the Jordan River. For the Jordan River means the one that descends, that is, the river that descends.

It is necessary that we humble ourselves before God, understanding that everything happens according to His will and His divine desire. God leads us to the river that descends to generate brokenness in our hearts, to end our self and, finally, to make us recognize His greatness and mercy toward us.

Naaman believed that he only needed to be cured of his leprosy, but God wanted to deal beyond Naaman’s illness. For God wanted to deal with Naaman’s innermost being, generating in him brokenness and humility. Every time we are invited to dive into the river that descends, we are led to brokenness and life transformation. For this reason, dive into the rivers of the spirit.

God Leads Us to the Potter’s House

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. (Jeremiah 18:4)

We are led to the potter’s house, for when we are in God’s hands, we ourselves break and become new vessels according to God’s will and desire. We are led to the potter’s house to be molded and perfected. So that we become vessels full of God’s presence.

God Leads Us Before the Storms

At a certain moment, the Lord Jesus released a word saying: “Let us pass over unto the other side of the lake.” And suddenly there arose such a great storm that the waters were already entering that little boat. God is teaching us that He will always be in our boat, that is, God will always be walking side by side with us.

In the race of faith, there will be moments when God will be with us side by side. But there will also be moments when He will be afar off watching us. We will many times be walking through the desert, diving into the Jordan, visiting the potter’s house and we will also face many storms.

The interesting thing is that in all these scenarios, many times God will be with us side by side, but also many times we will experience God’s silence. Many times we will take our steps and feel alone, but God will be with us to watch us.

Just as a father accompanies his child’s first steps, in the same way God is in our lives. There will be moments when God will allow us to walk hand in hand. But we will have moments when we will have to walk with Him only in silence. For He desires to generate in our lives experience and an unshakable faith.

Every time we walk and stumble, but recognize our mistakes and ask God for strength to continue, just like a father, God also holds our hands and says:

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)

For Everything God Has a Purpose

We understand that for everything God has a purpose. If we are facing deserts, Jordan, storms, potteries, calm or scarcity. In everything God has a purpose.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Job teaches that we must receive God’s purposes, even if we are suffering. We must receive God’s purposes for our lives. For if He allowed it, it is because we are able to overcome.

But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. (Job 2:10)

David, before facing the giant Goliath, first there in the field fought with the bear and the lion. And this generated in David experience and courage to face the Philistine giant.

The battles we faced yesterday were just training to achieve our victory today. Do not give up, go through the desert, dive into God’s deepest river and face the storms. For beyond the storm there is a God who will make better days dawn over your life.

God Created Hell to Punish Satan and His Followers

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:44, KJV)

God created hell to punish Satan and all his followers. Hell is a place of torment, reserved for all who live a life in opposition to God’s will. It is not God’s desire that this place of torment be man’s destination.

Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 33:11, KJV)

God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, for the destiny of this soul is hell, and God’s heart is greatly saddened. If the wicked turns from his evil ways, the Lord rejoices, for that soul will live—not just on this earth, but when he dies, he will live eternally in glory with Him.

The Precious Death of the Saints in God’s Sight

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15, KJV)

We must understand that the death of the righteous is invaluable to God, for it is the occasion when His own are freed from all evil. Death is the moment when the righteous are victoriously taken from this earthly life to heaven, where they will see the Lord Jesus Christ as He is.

Does Hell Exist? The Bible Confirms It Clearly

Yes, hell exists! The Bible has numerous verses that explain it with great clarity!

Hell: A Place of Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. (Luke 13:28, KJV)

Hell Is a Place of Eternal Pain

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. (Mark 9:43-49, KJV)

Reserved for Those Who Forget God

The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psalm 9:17, KJV)

From hell, it is possible to see the glory that exists in heaven, and from heaven, it is not possible to glimpse the sadness that exists in hell!

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:23, KJV)

Jesus Christ Came to Deliver Man from Hell and Death

As we have already published in another study, humanity distanced itself from the glory of God due to original sin. Jesus Christ came into the world so that our sins might be forgiven, and thus we might once again have the opportunity to enter heaven.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16, KJV)

God loved the world in such a way that He sends His only Son so that we might have the right to eternal life. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ has eternal life, for when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we obey His commandments and His word.

The mercy and love of God are available to everyone who desires to receive Him as their only and sufficient Lord and Savior. We abandon our evil ways to follow a new path according to the Lord’s will. And the Lord delivers us from the condemnation of hell, making us heirs of heaven and guaranteeing us eternal life.

For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. (Psalm 86:13, KJV)

The Enemy Fights to Lead Souls to Hell

The enemy fights daily to lead thousands upon thousands of people to hell. Through the works of the flesh, and everyone who lives in such practices will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21, KJV)

That is why we must seek to produce the fruits of the Spirit, that is, only by producing good fruits will we reach the kingdom of heaven.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:22-26, KJV)

Every time we disobey God, we are distanced from His glory, and the more we distance ourselves from the glory of God, the more we walk toward hell. The enemy of our souls is roaring like a lion seeking whom he may devour; for this reason, accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life.

Produce the fruits of the Spirit, abandon old practices, walk in the ways of God, and allow Jesus to guide your life completely. Only by drawing near to God will your soul be saved from the fire of hell.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6, KJV)

The Fall in the Garden of Eden

When we meditate on Romans 3, we remember that Adam and Eve allowed themselves to be led by the influence of the serpent, which was the most cunning of all the animals that God had created in the garden.

On one occasion, the serpent asks the woman: “Is it true that God said, ‘You shall not eat from every tree of the garden’?”.

The woman knew God’s ordinances and responded to the serpent: “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but from the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You shall not eat from it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23, NIV)

Temptation and Disobedience

The serpent induced Eve to disobedience by saying that they would not die. The serpent’s argument was that God knew that on the day they ate from the fruit, their eyes would be opened and they would be like God, knowing good and evil.

Disobedience removed Adam and Eve from the garden, and now all have sinned and were destitute of the glory of God.

The woman saw that the tree was attractive to her eyes and its fruit seemed delicious. Eve in her heart desired the wisdom that the fruit would give her.

Eve took from the fruit and ate it and, not heeding God’s ordinance, Eve besides eating from the fruit also gave it to Adam.

At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they realized they were naked. Therefore, they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

We were destitute of the glory of God!

Sin Enters the World

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12, NIV)

We know that all sinned before the law was given, but since the law did not exist, their sins were not charged against them. We know that from the time of Adam until Moses, all died, including those who did not disobey an explicit command from God, as Adam disobeyed.

Adam is a representation of the one who was still to come. We must highlight that there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gift. Through the sin of one single man, death came to many. Much greater than Adam’s sin is the grace of God and his gifts that came upon many through one single man, Jesus Christ.

Grace That Overcomes Sin

We understand that through Adam sin entered the world, but through Jesus Christ forgiveness, grace, and mercy entered the world. The result of God’s gift is infinitely different from the result caused by Adam’s sin. While Adam’s sin led to condemnation, God’s gift enables us to be declared righteous before him, despite our many sins.

Disobedience produced sin, therefore death reigned over many through the sin of one single man. Even greater is the grace of God and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will reign in life through one single man, Jesus Christ.

It is true that one single sin of Adam brought condemnation to all, but one single act of righteousness by Christ removed the guilt and brought life to all. Because of disobedience to God, many became sinners. But because of the obedience of one single person to God, many will be declared righteous.

The Law and the Abundance of Grace

The law was created so that all would perceive the gravity of sin. But as sin increased, grace became even greater. Just as sin reigned over all and led them to death, now grace reigns, which declares us righteous before God and results in eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We are imperfect and sinners who seek to improve every day, and when we fail and recognize it, we confess and abandon it. God with his infinite mercy purifies us from our sins.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9, NIV)

The price of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden distanced us from the Glory of God, but the obedience of Jesus Christ and his infinite-love inserts us again as children and heirs of the Kingdom.

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There are moments when it is necessary for us to dip in the Jordan River, for only then will we be able to reach the greatness of God. Jordan has a very extraordinary meaning, as it is a masculine name of Hebrew origin. It comes from the Hebrew Yarden, from the word yarad, which means “to descend,” “to run,” “to flow.” The name has the sense of “the one who runs” or “the one who descends.”

Many times, due to positions, ranks, and roles we occupy, we are taken by pride, by our ego, and we fail to see the greatness of God around us.

And Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. (2 Kings 5:1)

Naaman was a very important man and held a position of great relevance, but behind this great and successful man there was a poor leper. Behind this great man was a Naaman who had an illness greater than the leprosy he carried with him: it was his ego, his self.

The Captive Girl and Unshakable Faith

The king of Syria had great respect for Naaman, for he was the commander of his army; through him, the Lord had given great victories to Syria. Naaman was a valiant warrior, but he suffered from leprosy. At that time, Syrian raiders had invaded the territory of Israel, and among the captives was a girl who became a servant to Naaman’s wife.

We can learn much from this illustrious unknown who, even though taken captive, did not deny the faith and love of God. This girl knew a living God who could heal Naaman of his leprosy.

Every place that God puts us, He desires that we be His instruments on this earth. There will be moments when God will do things that we will never understand, for God desires that through us someone’s life be transformed.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8,9)

God’s thoughts are not like our thoughts, nor are our ways like the ways of the Lord. That girl, even though placed as a servant in the house of a stranger, as an instrument of God, will say to her mistress:

And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. (2 Kings 5:3)

That girl had every reason to wish evil upon Naaman, but on the contrary, God was present in this girl’s life in such a way that she looks at the situation and sees the opportunity to present to that family a living God capable of performing miracles.

Naaman’s Journey and the King’s Reaction

Naaman tells the king what the Israelite girl had said to him, and the king of Syria gives him permission to visit the prophet. The king gives Naaman a letter of introduction to the king of Israel. Naaman set out taking 350 kilograms of silver, 72 kilograms of gold, and ten changes of clothing.

The letter that was taken to the king of Israel said in it: “With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want the king to cure him of his leprosy.” Then the king of Israel, upon reading the letter, tears his clothes and says: “Am I God, able to give or take life? Why does this man ask me to cure a leper? As you can see, he is looking for a pretext to attack us!”

And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. (2 Kings 5:6,7)

Elisha, the man of God, learned that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, and he sends him a message: “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” And at that exact moment Naaman goes with his horses and chariots to Elisha’s house.

Naaman’s Indignation at the Simplicity

Naaman, upon arriving at Elisha’s house, believed that the prophet should simply receive him, and that it would be enough for him to wave his hands over his head so that he would be cured of his illness. The reception was completely different from what Naaman imagined, for the one who receives Naaman is not the prophet, but one of his messengers.

And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. (2 Kings 5:10,11)

We can understand that Naaman was going through this process because he needed to understand that his human position was worth nothing before God. Naaman’s ego needed to be broken, for he thought the prophet should receive him and not his messenger. Naaman believed that the miracle could be obtained without sacrifice. Many times we have the opportunity to receive our miracle, but we ourselves reject the voice of God with our selfish choices.

Naaman’s miracle was already practically underway, but we all know that the Jordan, the river that descends, was not one of the best. And not always what pleases our eyes will be what God will use to bless us, for God often uses what has the least value to transform into a supernatural tool.

Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. (2 Kings 5:12)

Naaman was indignant at having to dip in the Jordan River. Many times we do not see that we are already halfway through the process to receive our victory.

The Persuasion and Obedience that Heals

For the miracle to happen in Naaman’s life, all that was left was for him to dip, for even in his house the girl who had been taken captive had already said what Naaman should do.

The prophet had already pronounced a word over Naaman’s life; now it only depended on him to obey the word of God through the prophet, which was simply to dip seven times.

Naaman, instead of seeing obedience, simply gives place to the indignation that blinded him.

His officers tried to convince him, saying: “My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?”

Many times pride, the self, the ego, prevents us from seeing the miracle that is already in front of us. The miracle was already in front of Naaman, but his pride prevented him from seeing it.

Those men said something very reflective to Naaman, for God was not asking Naaman to do anything impossible, but only for Naaman to dip 7 times.

If the prophet had asked Naaman to do anything else, he certainly would have done it, but the prophet said only: go and dip seven times and you will be healed.

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. (2 Kings 5:14)

Eternal Lessons from a Transformative Story

We learn from an unknown young girl, from the messenger, and from the officers some very valuable legacies.

From a young girl: We learn that wherever we are we must take the opportunity to speak of our God.

From the prophet: We learn that we must obey the voice of God so that lives may recognize the power and sovereignty of God.

From the servants: We learn that when we think about giving up, we must know that what God is asking us is only the possible, for the impossible God Himself will accomplish.

And if He has pronounced a word over our lives, He is faithful to fulfill it, for He watches over His word and in no way will it return empty.