The woman of Samaria, with whom Christ talked at Jacob's well, left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" (John 4:29)
Yet we have no record that Jesus told her anything of her past life except the one fact that she had had five husbands, and was then living with a man who was not her husband. But that was enough.
It was not necessary for Christ to enumerate every individual act of sin; the mention of the one laid bare her whole life. All that she had ever done was in that one thing that Christ told her. She did not attempt to excuse herself by saying that she had no other fault, at any rate, but recognized in that one thing the picture of her whole life.
An important thing for us to note in this connection is that the woman found Christ in the conviction of sin. This is the way God would have it with us all. It is the Holy Spirit that reproves and convicts of sin; but He is at the same time the Comforter, and He convicts but to comfort.
Instead of sinking down in discouragement when we are reproved for our faults (and how quietly and tactfully the Lord reproves), we should take courage from the reproof, knowing that it is the way God takes to reveal to us the Christ who saves from sin. In the conviction we find healing. "For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life." (Proverbs 6:23)
Another very important lesson for us to learn is that when the Lord forgives one thing, He forgives everything. There is no half-way work with Him. Just as in the mention of one sin, He brought to the woman's remembrance her whole life, even so, when we come to Him penitently confessing any sin that comes to our attention, and humbly asking forgiveness, we may know that in forgiving it He forgives all the sins of our life. "[We are] saved by His life." (Romans 5:10)
And that life is not given to us piecemeal. Christ gives himself to us whole and undivided. "To everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." (Ephesians 4:7)
And that gift is infinite, so that in Him is plenteous grace found to cover all our sin. "Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds." (Romans 5:20)
Therefore we may always be joyful in God. "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:4)--Present Truth, August 2, 1900--Original title: Back Page--Timeline: III-5 (The Samaritan Woman)--John 4:29.