Christian, you are a gift from the Father to the Son
What’s the most precious gift you’ve ever received? Think of how much you treasure it, and what you would do to make sure you never lose it.
Jesus Christ has received such a gift, and Christian, that gift is you.
John 6 is one of the most talked-about and provocative chapters in the Bible. It’s the chapter where most of Jesus’ disciples abandon Him at the end, leaving only the twelve, following His discourse on the Bread of Life that confused and offended them.
The theme of the chapter — and of John’s gospel — is believing in Jesus (that’s what it means to eat His flesh and drink His blood). Earlier in the chapter is another much-discussed passage, where Jesus teaches a lot about those who believe in Him.
“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent,” He says in verse 29. This echoes what He’s said several times in John already, famously in chapter 3:
14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
A few verses later in chapter 6, He says, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (verse 35). You see there a phrase that’s synonymous with believing in Him — they come to Him. That’s significant because He’ll repeat those words a few more times in the passage.
It’s in verse 37 where He reveals the astonishing truth about those who believe in Him: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” That’s where we first see believers described as given from the Father to the Son, and He’ll say that several more times in the chapter (as well as chapter 10).
Look at what Jesus says about those whom the Father has given Him — they will all come to Him. They will all believe in Him. Notice the order — salvation begins with the Father — and that throughout the passage, Jesus uses individual pronouns. Every single believer is given, not just collectively.
With no less authoritative certainty, He says that He will never cast them away. He will never relinquish His beloved gift. He will secure His possession for all eternity. They belong to Him, always have, and always will. No one whom the Father has given to the Son will ever be lost.
Jesus goes on to emphasize this wonderful truth:
39 “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Related: Christ will lose nothing: The eternal security of the Christian
So not only is the Son protecting His treasured gift, but so is the Father. It’s His decreed will, and in verse 44, Jesus reveals something else the Father does with His gift to His Son: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him ... .” The Father draws those He has given to the Son so that they will come to Him. The Father gives, the Father draws, and accordingly, we come. It’s the only way we can.
Jesus finished that sentence by repeating what He will do for every one of His believers: “… and I will raise him up at the last day.” Jesus reiterates this in verse 47, with language that indicates He wants to hammer this point over and over with authoritative certainty: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” He says it again in verses 50 (“not die”), 51 (“will live forever”), 54 (“has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day”), 57 (“will live because of Me”), and 58 (“will live forever”). While His wording includes a condition (“he who believes”), remember that the condition has a condition that has already been decisively met — the Father gave them to the Son. Because of that, eternal life is something they have now and will never lose.
Let’s review what the Lord teaches about those who have been given to Christ:
They will be drawn by the Father.
They will come to the Son and believe in Him.
They will not be lost.
They will be resurrected to everlasting life.
Christian, this is you! What blessed assurance, knowing that the Most High God, King of the universe, gave you, received you, called you, drew you, and will raise you to eternal life. What great love, that the Lord wants you so much, that He cherishes you so much, that He holds you so tight with everlasting arms. This is not to mention many other beautiful truths about what He has done for us: He’s adopted us as His children, He’s given us His 24/7 presence, He works to make us more like Him, He intercedes for us before the throne of heaven.
If you haven’t already, believe in Him — turn from your life of sin and trust in Him alone to be saved. If you do, then all of this is true of you.
See also:
