Credentials can help us know if a person is capable and trustworthy. The blind man spoken of in John CH. 9 illustrates this. His understanding of Jesus grew as the account unfolds. After Jesus healed him, people wanted to know who did it. His response was, “A man called Jesus made clay, put it on my eyes and told me to go wash. I did and now I can see.” Skeptical Pharisees later asked the man what he thought of Jesus-was He from God or not? The man told them that based on Jesus’ power to heal, He must be a prophet. At that, the Pharisees threw the man out of the synagogue. Later, Jesus found him and asked him if he believed in Jesus as the Son of man. The healed man answered, “Who is he sir? I want to believe in him.” Jesus disclosed His identity to the man, and he replied, “Yes, Lord, I believe.” The man’s faith grew from identifying Jesus as the one who healed him, to Jesus as a prophet, to Jesus as Lord. We read that he worshiped Jesus as Lord in that moment. His faith grew. God wants our faith to grow until we are totally submissive to Him and become His agents to represent Him in a world that desperately needs to know Him.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
