SAMARITANS WORSHIP WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW / JOHN 4:22

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) John 4:22

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Finding God in the Whole Story: Why True Worship Requires the Full Revelation

True worship is built on knowing who God really is, not just the parts of Him we choose to accept.

In John 4:22, Jesus looks at a Samaritan woman and delivers a sharp but loving correction: “You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.”

At first glance, this can sound exclusive or harsh. But when we look closer at the context, we find a profound truth about how we approach God today.

The Danger of a Fragmented Faith

The Samaritans didn’t have the whole picture. The Samaritan Bible contained only the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament). By discarding the books of the Prophets and the Writings, they closed their eyes to centuries of God’s unfolding story.

Because of this failure to accept much of God’s revelation, they knew very little about Him. They were trying to worship a God they had intentionally placed in a box.

We often do the same thing today. We pick our favorite verses, highlight the attributes of God that make us comfortable, and ignore the parts of Scripture that challenge us. But a fragmented Bible leads to a fragmented faith. To worship God truly, we must accept everything He has revealed about Himself.

The Source of Salvation

When Jesus says “salvation is from the Jews,” He isn’t showing favoritism. He is simply stating a historical and theological fact: the Messiah, or Christ, would be a Jew.

God chose a specific lineage to bring the Savior into the world. Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets—the very books the Samaritans rejected. Salvation came through the Jewish line, but it was always intended to rescue the whole world, including the woman at the well.

Worship in Spirit and Truth

We cannot worship a God we do not know, and we cannot know Him if we refuse to read His words. True worship requires us to open the whole Bible, submit to the whole counsel of God, and let Him reveal Himself on His terms, not ours.

A Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Forgive us for the times we have tried to reshape You in our own image. Forgive us for picking and choosing which parts of Your truth to believe and follow. We thank You for the gift of Your complete word, and for the ultimate revelation of Your love through Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

Open our hearts to receive the full measure of Your truth. Help us to know You deeper every day, so that our worship may be genuine, anchored in truth, and pleasing to You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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College Ruled Spiral Notebook
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