Romans 5:5, Maturing and Matured Faith

Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The believer who trusted in the faithfulness and goodness of God and experienced it has an experiential knowledge of God. He gains confidence and hope in God. He knows God does not disappoint. He will trust God and call upon Him, making it a life long habit. He moves from a maturing to a matured faith. We can always hope in God all the days of our life and experienced His care and protection.

The Apostle Paul tells us the reason for our hope in God is because of God’s unfailing love.  This pure love is first shed abroad (being poured out) in the heart of every believer by the Holy Spirit at conversion. This “love” is like an injection given that goes directly to the blood stream producing its effect. We have to acknowledge the divine nature of this love and the divine source of this love. This love enables us to experienced the warmth of God’s presence and enables us to share it with others unconditionally and sacrificially. God’s love manifested in the believer’s life is like a well of water flowing out into everlasting life.

The woman at the well in Samaria experienced it. She was so happy. She was seeking for true love but did not find it in her relationship with “five husbands” (John 4:17).

John 4:39-42 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his own word; 42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

She witnessed to others in Samaria and they believed. Jesus witnessed to yet others and more came to trust the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Amen.