- Aug 10, 2006
- 17,243
- 4,455
- 75
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.’” (John 6:35-40 NASB1995)
Now, it is important that we read the words of Jesus here in the context of the whole of John, chapter 6, and in the context of his other teachings, and that we interpret his words from a biblical perspective and not from our own human understanding of what we think these words mean. For Jesus also talks about what it means to come to him in other passages of Scripture which give us a more full understanding of what he means.
“And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.’” (Luke 9:23-26 NASB1995)
And when Jesus took up his cross it was to put our sins to death with him so that, by God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in him, we can now die to sin and live to God and to his righteousness in walks of obedience to his commands. He suffered to set us free from our bondage to sin, and we must suffer, as well, first in self-denial, and in dying to sin, and in following him in obedience to his commands, and then in being persecuted, as he was, for our faith in Jesus Christ, and because we live for him and no longer for self.
And what he makes clear to us in the whole of John, chapter 6, he also makes clear to us in Luke 9:23-26 and in Matthew 7:21-23. And that is that we cannot just make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and then be guaranteed salvation from all sin and heaven as our eternal destiny. So, when he says here that the one who comes to him he will never cast out, he is speaking of all those persuaded of God as to his righteousness and holiness, and of their sinfulness, that they must die to sin and obey God.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:21-23 NASB1995)
So, combine John 6:35-40 with Luke 9:23-26 and Matthew 7:21-23, and with the whole of John, chapter 6, and it will give you a much more clear picture of what it means to come to Jesus and to believe in him. For belief comes from God, it is authored and perfected by Jesus Christ, it is gifted to us by God, and it is persuaded of God as to his righteousness and holiness, and of our sinfulness, and of God’s requirements that we deny self, die to sin daily, and follow him in obedience to his commands. It is NOT of our flesh!
[Hebrews 12:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Acts 26:18]
For all that the Father gives to the Son will be of God, by his design and purpose for our lives, according to his will. It will not be according to human will and purpose. And the Scriptures are very clear that we must die to sin and obey God or we don’t know God, we are not in fellowship with Christ, and we do not have eternal life with God. But for those who are dying to sin daily, who are walking in obedience to our Lord, by God-persuaded faith in him, we have salvation from sin and eternal life with God secured for us.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
As the Deer
By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
Caution: This link may contain ads
The One Who Comes to Christ
An Original Work / December 3, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
