Please read this selection from today's reading in John's gospel:
(46) Once more Jesus visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. (47) When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. (48) "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe." (49) The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." (50) Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed. (51) While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. (52) When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour." (53) Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed. (54) This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.
John 4:46-54 [NIV]
The royal official is said to have believed twice, once in v.50 and again in v.53. In v.50 he believed Jesus' promise that his son would not die. But believing that Jesus can and will heal is not enough to save. What is it that the royal official believed in v.53? The explanation is found in v. 54.
The miracle that Jesus performed was his Second Sign (see also 2:11). These signs in John's Gospel were performed so that people might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing they might have life (20:31).
When the royal official realised that his son had been healed, he knew that Jesus was more than a mere mortal – he knew that Jesus was the Son of God. He then placed his faith in Jesus and was born again.
There is a belief about facts and there is the belief of faith. James (2:19) warns us that "even the demons believe" the facts of who Jesus is. This is a head belief. But to be born again we need the belief of the heart, a belief of faith, putting our hope and trust in Jesus.
Martin Saxby
Read the Bible in a Year: Psalm 57:1-6; Judges 6:1-7:8a; John 4:43-5:15
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