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“Lessons From Naaman (#3)”
Categories: Bible, Expository Study, SalvationLearning Lessons From Naaman The Leper (#3)
Jarrod Jacobs
The text for our study in the last two articles has been II Kings 5:1-14. In previous articles, we have seen that a young girl was the key to Naaman’s cleansing. Without her, Naaman would never have known what to do. We also saw that money did not purchase Naaman’s cleansing. Money could not purchase what God would give him free. By way of application, we see that young people today can still know and obey the word of God, and that nothing can purchase the most precious gift -- the salvation of our souls (I Pet. 1:18-19; Acts 2:38).
As we study II Kings 5, we see that when Naaman went to the wrong source, he was not cleansed of leprosy. In II Kings 5:5-7, he went to the King of Israel rather than Elisha, as the young girl had said (v. 3). Thankfully, the king recognized his inability to help on this occasion. He was not so filled with pride that he tried to be a “god” before Naaman. Yet, Naaman was not cleansed.
In like manner, when we turn to denominational organizations, family traditions, self interests, personal theories, etc., rather than to the Bible, we are turning to the wrong sources. It is within the gospel that we find the “power of God unto salvation” and nowhere else (Rom. 1:16). It is the gospel that reveals what to do to be spiritually cleansed (Acts 22:16). It is the gospel that reveals the Lord’s church (Matt. 16:18; Rom. 16:16). It is the divinely inspired Scriptures that “thoroughly” furnish (thoroughly equip) us “unto all good works” (II Tim. 3:16-17). To turn to anything else is to turn to the wrong source of authority!
