“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).
What is this “free gift of the water of life”?
And why would others refuse or reject it? Is it because of the so-called human free will?
Is God’s Gift not so appealing, because it’s free and we can just afford to ignore it?
Of course, God who creates Beauty will not offer anything below His standard of Perfection in Beauty. We read in James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
We also read in Revelation 21:6, “He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.’”
If we have this “water of life,” we will have satisfaction as a thirsty man is satisfied in drinking from the spring of water. What He gives will truly satisfy us.
Remember the “prodigal son” in Luke 15? He suffered so much after he left his father. “He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything” (verse 16). But when he returned to his father, the son received not just an ordinary meal – but a feast (verse 23)!
His father gave his son more than his need. “But the father said to his servants, `Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate’” (Luke 15:22-23). The son was more than satisfied from what his father gave him.
What the Heavenly Father will give is more appealing than any favor that a human father can give to his son!
Then, why would others could afford to refuse God’s offer?
Does it mean that man’s free will to reject what is appealing is more powerful than his freedom to choose what attracts him?
Jesus told the Samaritan woman, who would draw water from the well:
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14).
Water and other physical things will only give us temporary satisfaction. But if we have the “water of life” given by Jesus, we “will never thirst” – we will enjoy complete and eternal satisfaction! What He gives will benefit us not only for a certain period of time, but will even transcend this age.
Unfortunately, there are those who reject and will continue to reject this very precious and perfect gift.
Why? Is man’s freedom of choice “at fault”?
Or, do they react negatively because they fail to perceive the worth of the gift?
First, let us identify this “water of life.”
We read in John 7:37-39, “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By THIS HE MEANT THE SPIRIT, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”
Jesus Christ was referring to the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of God – His Spirit.
Peter said in Acts 2:38, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.”
Also, we read in Acts 10:44-45, “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT had been poured out even on the Gentiles.”
No gift in this world could satisfy our heart as the exceeding joy of the Spirit of Christ could give us. And it’s free, because it is priceless. During the time of the apostles, someone tried to buy the Spirit, as we read in Acts 8, “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit’" (verses 18-19).
But we read in verse 20-21, “Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.’”
And though we could have the Gift for free, why would others ignore or refuse it? Why do they resist the Holy Spirit?
It’s “unbelievable” and “unfathomable” that others resist the Gift, a certain church official told me. Actually, what is unbelievable and unfathomable is when his church teaches that because of our freedom of choice we can reject God’s Gift in spite of our awareness of its Attractiveness!
Stephen told the Jews, who would stone him: ”You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!” (Acts 7:51.)
Notice that they resisted the Spirit, because they were “stiff-necked” and “with uncircumcised hearts and ears!” – as spiritually deaf, they did not hear the call: “Come! … take the free gift of the water of life.”
Also, there are those who cannot accept Him, because they do not know Him. Jesus said in John 14:16-17, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever -- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”
Those who reject the Most Precious Gift are in spiritual darkness – spiritually deaf, spiritually ignorant – and with heart of stone. They cannot perceive the Great Worth of the Gift. The “culprit” is not actually the so-called “freedom of choice” of man.
As Jesus told the Samaritan woman, "IF YOU KNEW the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water" (John 4:10).
But by God’s grace, those whom He had circumcised the hearts, whom He made spiritually alive to hear the Sovereign call and to behold the Glory of Christ, and whom He enabled to come to the Son, they would choose freely to have the Greatest Gift. In fact, they “would have asked him…”
It is not just because of our human freedom why we choose to accept God’s offer. In spite of how high we value our free will, through it we could not still appreciate and accept His Gift. “For it is BY GRACE you have been saved, through faith -- and THIS NOT FROM YOURSELVES, it is the gift of God…” (Eph. 2:8.) English Standard Version renders the portion of verse 8, “And this is not your own doing…”
It is purely grace – when God gives, it is not “take it, or leave it.” When He gives, you will really have it.
PRAYER: Our Gracious Heavenly Father, Who gives perfect and irresistible Gift, we acknowledge our sin and inability to grasp Your Wonder and also our weakness to have Your Presence. Thank for Your Grace and Mercy that through Your Holy Spirit, we are able to rejoice exceedingly in Your fellowship. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.
