“But whoso drinks of the water I give shall never thirst; but the water I give shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life.” John 4:14
This is undoubtedly the best description of everlasting life we have in the scripture, yet, it is also the most overlooked. It is a physical description of what everlasting life looks like to an outside observer. It is a sure, observable, phenomenon. Yet it is disregarded. Generally, most Christians look at verses of scripture contextually. In other words, they only consider the context of what was spoken or written. They rarely consider the scripture had one author and that author may have had something else to say on that subject at another time in the same document.
Thus, John 4:14 is not considered alongside Acts 2:4, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with tongues.” The word, drink, from John 4:14, is to imbibe, it is to be filled. And the description Jesus gives is of a well filled with water but the water also springs up. Now water that springs up also flows out. The constant flow of water overwhelms the well, causing it to spill out.
In John 7:37, Jesus says “If any man is thirsty, let him come unto me and drink.” Here the word, imbibe, is used again, making this the same subject matter as John 4:14. Jesus is talking about the same thing in John 7:37-38 as He was in John 4:14. He goes on to say, “As the scripture has said, out of His belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Here, Jesus identifies the well spoken of in John 4:14 as a belly and in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit first filled the belly, then flowed out the mouth, as in a well that is springing up. These three verses are synonymous. In Acts 1, Jesus commands His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for a baptism with the Holy Spirit, so in Acts 2, what the disciples received from God was a baptism with the Spirit but it was also everlasting life.
According to Jesus, everlasting life is having a well of water inside and having that water spring up and flow out. John 7:39 informs us the rivers of living water is the Holy Spirit and those who believed on Jesus should afterward receive this experience. Again, this experience is defined by Jesus as everlasting life.
Now, John 7:39 indicates the rivers of living water would be available after Jesus was glorified, and everlasting life was not available before Jesus’ resurrection. Philippians 2 informs us although Jesus laid aside all power and glory to come to earth as a man, and the word, man, should be defined literally; Jesus was not some kind of hybrid. When the Father raised Jesus from the dead, He re instituted Jesus in all His glory, but further, made Jesus ruler over all. There is a big difference between believing in the God who laid aside His Godhood to become man, and believing in the man who became God, and it is this second person we must imbibe.
It may not be clear the Holy Spirit left earth at the crucifixion of Jesus. It marked the end of an era. Jesus said, “I came to fulfill the law,” in Matthew 5:17 and the fulfillment of the law marked the end of the kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit had a mandate that He performed during the age of the kingdom of God. Jesus established a new covenant after His fulfillment of the old and the Holy Spirit was given a new mandate. This new mandate was to give everlasting life to those who believed on the resurrected Jesus. That’s what the Holy Spirit has been doing since His return.
Look, in John 16:7, Jesus says, “It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Spirit of truth cannot come; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.” The Holy Spirit had been with the disciples from the beginning. In John 14:17, Jesus had said, “He has been with you and shall be in you.” So Jesus and the Holy Spirit went away and Jesus sent the Holy Spirit back with the everlasting life He had provided for mankind. Acts 2:4 is the account of His return and the everlasting life He brought.
However, notice again Jesus’ description of everlasting life: “But whoso drinks of the water I give shall never thirst; but the water I give shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life.” The word, springing, is in its perfect present tense, meaning it is an ongoing phenomenon. Having the Living Water in your well is not everlasting life. Having the Living Water flowing out is the everlasting life and when the Holy Spirit exits the mouth, He manifests Himself as a gift of tongues. If there is no flow of a gift of tongues, there is no everlasting life. Everlasting life is having the water within flow out.
Who am I to judge truth? I am merely pointing out what Jesus said. If there is any offense, it is not mine to take. This is all simple truth and I am simply pointing it out. Jesus is the one who said everlasting life is a well of water springing up. The scriptures say the Living Water flows out of believers as rivers. And in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit flowed out of the belly of the 120 as rivers and manifested Himself as tongues. Obviously, the word, belief, refers to a specific part of who Jesus is. So when John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” it is speaking of a specific belief in Jesus. Not a nebulous, general belief, but a specific belief in one thing Jesus did.
Likewise, Romans 10:9-10, “For if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved,” is talking about a belief that causes words to flow out of your mouth, words that confirm Jesus is Lord, words that come because Jesus is Lord, not in general but in your life. God raised Jesus as Lord and it is because Jesus was Lord that He was able to enact a new covenant and the new covenant conveys everlasting life on all who comply with the covenant. When John 3:16 says “believes in Him,” it is talking about this belief God raised Him from the dead.
Verse 10 continues, “For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” If we believe Jesus was raised from the dead with all power in heaven and earth, then we believe in the new covenant and we respect the commandment of Jesus to wait for a baptism with the Spirit and a gift of tongues flows from our mouth; the well springs up and flows out.
In Acts 1, Jesus commands His followers to wait for a baptism with the Spirit. Most Christians today opt out of obedience, saying, Jesus was only commanding His disciples on that day and in that hour. They believe in the Jesus who fed the five thousand, healed the sick and the lame, stilled the angry sea, and walked on water. They do not believe in the Jesus that commanded obedience. But Jesus said, “If you do not keep my commandments, you cannot abide in my love,” John 15:10. Again, these are simple truths, not of my making.
Again, Ephesians 2:8 tells us, “For by grace are you saved through faith, it is the gift of God.” It is easy to get caught up in the grace part and miss the faith part. Grace is unmerited favor and we are told, “While we were yet sinners, enemies of God, Christ died for us,” Romans 5:8. The grace is found in that fact. Jesus did not provide eternal life through His death on the cross however. His death on the cross was in fulfillment of the old covenant. The old covenant did not provide everlasting life. Everlasting life required a new covenant and Jesus had to have authority from His Father to enact a new covenant. This is why faith is so important.
The gift of God is the well of water. The well of water is the direct result of Jesus’ death on the cross and the Father sent Jesus for that purpose. The Holy Spirit could not indwell mankind before the cross because of mankind’s sin but Jesus perfectly kept the old covenant law and died under its penalties for disobedience. This fulfilled the law and made it obsolete. All mankind was made right with God. Look at 1John 2:2, “He propitiated our sins but not ours alone, He propitiated the sins of the entire world. The word, propitiate, means, to make right. The well of water is a direct result of this.
It is through faith that we draw the water up from the well and cause it to spill out. It is a grace and faith proposition. The grace is free and requires nothing of us; the faith however requires that we drink baptism with the Spirit. In Acts 1, Jesus commands the disciples to wait for the Father’s promise. The Father’s gift is the well but the action of the well flowing like a river is the Father’s promise. The promise of everlasting life is to all who believe on Jesus. The well is given to all as a free gift of God’s grace.
Now, making the waters flow constantly is impossible but an effort must be made to that end. Those who drink of the resurrected Lord may do so in different ways. In Acts 1:4-5, Jesus commanded the disciples not to depart Jerusalem, “But wait for the promise of the Father, which He said, you have heard of me; For John truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.” Jesus is commanding them to wait for a baptism with the Spirit so why bring up John the Baptist at all? Jesus uses John as an illustration. John was completely devoted to his call from God. He baptized with water, truly, but He also fully taught baptism with water. The word, baptize, means, to saturate. Jesus commanded His followers to wait for and receive baptism but also to go out teaching and preaching baptism.
Notice Matthew 28:19-20, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: teaching all things I have commanded you.” The word, baptize, means, to saturate, so Jesus has just instructed them to teach, teach, and teach. Or, in other words, saturate believers in the truth of the new covenant. We have the scriptures; we can teach ourselves, or we can listen to others teach the new covenant. We can drink in the new covenant truth and allow the Living Water to flow and we can repent of failure to do so.
Look at 1John 1:9, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.” If the old covenant law was fulfilled, and Jesus said, “I came to fulfill the law,” then the Ten Commandments no longer apply to us. What sin is John referring to? Sin is defined as the breaking of commandments and in Acts 1, Jesus issues the most important commandment ever issued. To disobey it is sin, but sin that can be forgiven if repented of. And, repentance is counted as obedience according to this verse.
To confess the sin is to acknowledge the commandment as valid. The confession is what cleanses us and the obedience washes the disobedience away because the old adage, ‘once saved always saved,’ is a misnomer.
Everlasting life is having the well springing up and flowing out. If there is no outflow, there is no everlasting life.
We are talking about progressive truth. In John 4:14 Jesus defines everlasting life as an artesian well and states those who drink of Him will receive it. Then, in John 7, Jesus expands that thought saying, “He that believes on me, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water,” adding Living Water is the Holy Spirit. To believe is to drink. Then, in Acts 2:4, the Holy Spirit returns and those who have waited for the promise of the Father receive a baptism with the Spirit, whereby He flows out of their belly, through their mouth and they speak with unknown languages. A baptism is an imbibing event. The truth is revealed in the progression.
Acts 2:4 defines John 4:14 and Romans 10:9 defines the belief of John 3:16. John 3:16 in part says: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him." It is not always so obvious the Jesus you must believe in is the only begotten of God. Jesus was not begotten of God by Mary's womb; mankind cannot give birth to God. It breaks every precedent handed down by God. Moreover, God could never fulfill the old covenant law and the old covenant had to be fulfilled before a new covenant could be enacted. The old covenant was made with man and only a man could fulfill it. The Bible tells us Jesus laid aside that which made Him God to come to earth as a man. Not just any belief in Jesus will suffice.
With Romans 10:9, only one belief, a belief Jesus was resurrected from the dead by the Father, will do. Further, Philippians 2:9-11 describes this resurrection and Hebrews 9:14-28 describes the manner in which Jesus died. It is important to realize the scriptures define the scripture and “No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of old spoke as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance.”
The words, drink, believe, and baptism, have the same meaning. Jesus used the word; eat, in the same way. In John 6:56, Jesus said, “If you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you are one with me, and I am one with you.” In John 16:13, Jesus said, “When the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatever He hears, that shall He speak.” And in verse 14, He says “He shall take of what is mine and show it unto you.” So you see, to be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with Jesus; those who drink in Jesus, whether it be through speaking with tongues or studying baptism with the spirit, are drinking the Holy Spirit. The two are one. When you eat Jesus’ flesh and drink His blood, He becomes one with you and the everlasting life He enjoys is yours as well.
Jesus redeemed mankind from the old covenant law through His flesh; most Christians are drenched in this truth. Jesus’ blood, however, established a new covenant and most Christians are either oblivious or know very little about this event. You cannot become one with Jesus if you do not drink the blood. It is a little known fact: Jesus’ blood was not poured out at Calvary. Read the account again for yourself. Blood oozed from a thousand different cuts but did not pour from any. No veins or arteries were cut. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He said, “This is my blood, poured out for you.”
To drink the blood of Jesus is to drink of the event whereby the blood of Jesus was poured out; it is an event that took place in heaven, in the heavenly tabernacle, the one not made with hands. It is a holy event and solemn as the observance of the Lord’s Supper should be. The book of Hebrews is not talking about a sacrifice made on a cross; it speaks of a sacrifice made on an altar. Jesus was this sacrifice.
Jesus was laid across the altar of heaven, His throat was cut, and His life poured out into a bowl. The Father raised Him from that death by infusing His own life into Jesus, making Jesus the offspring of the Father. It was this Jesus the Father gave to mankind and it is this Jesus mankind must believe on to receive everlasting life.
It should be clear: everlasting life is having a gift of tongues pouring out of your mouth. This gift of tongues pours forth because of faith on the resurrected Son of God. John 4:14 is the best description of everlasting life we have and it is a physical description. How it could be construed to be any different is beyond me. Without baptism with the Spirit there is no everlasting life. This is the reason Hebrews 5:9 tells us, “He gives everlasting life to those who obey Him.” It is the commandment to wait for baptism with the Spirit that must be obeyed.
Now, to those who have never received a baptism with the Spirit, the well of water is inside you. That’s the grace spoken of in Ephesians 2:8. All it takes to bring the water up and out is faith in the promise. Again, in Acts 1:4, Jesus commanded His followers to wait for the promise of the Father, and John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Everlasting life is having the well within flow out.
In John 4:14, Jesus tells us, “Whoever drinks of the water that I give shall never thirst. The water that I give shall be a well of water springing up.” It is Jesus that makes the water spring up and Jesus begins this verse saying, “Whoso drinks.” Jesus is the great baptizer. It is important to hear, which is the same as to drink, for faith, which is the ability to believe, “comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God,” Romans 10:17. So one should saturate themselves with this truth. Beyond that it is a matter of asking Jesus for a baptism with the Spirit and yielding to the Holy Spirit as He attempts to flow out over the vocal cords. Of course, the more saturated one is with this gospel, the easier it is to believe.
Jesus said, “Fear not little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” It is the kingdom of heaven He is speaking of. So once you have asked for a baptism with the Spirit and gift of tongues, just begin to thank your heavenly Father for giving you the kingdom and thank Jesus for a gift of tongues. Just continue to offer up thanks with a grateful heart until your faith manifests the reality. Remember, faith is acting as if something is true without evidence. Your faith, the fact that you believe, is your evidence. Again, if it is a struggle to believe, spend more time studying and listening to this truth. Faith comes; and comes by hearing.