Bulletin Articles
“ALL THAT THE FATHER GIVES ME WILL COME TO ME”
“ALL THAT THE FATHER GIVES ME WILL COME TO ME”
In John 6:37, Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me.” Then, in verse 39, He said, “that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing.” These verses are oft-misused to teach the ideas of “individual predestination” (v.37), and “once saved, always saved” (v.39). In this article, we’ll examine these texts more closely.
Regarding verse 37, the first question we should ask is: WHO has the Father given to Jesus? Let’s take a look at the context (all emphasis mine, L.S.): “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me” (v.37); then “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me” (v.44-45). In context, we see that God “gives” those who “come” (37); but those who “come” are those whom the Father “draws” (44); and those whom He “draws” have been “taught by God” (v.45). Hence, the answer to our question is: The Father has “given” those who have “heard and learned.” There is certainly no notion of individual predestination to eternal life here (or anywhere else in the Bible)!
What God “predestined” was the “realm” of salvation; i.e., He “chose” and “predestined” to save those “in Christ” (Ep.1:3-5). That was God’s choice; but now, WE must choose! We must choose to “hear,” we must choose to “learn,” then, we must choose to “come!” The truth is: if the Calvinist is right, and man has no choice in salvation, then preaching the gospel is absolutely pointless! What will be, will be; and there is nothing that we can do to change what God has decreed with respect to who will be saved or lost. If you are saved, it is because He chose to save you regardless of what you do; and if you are lost, it is because He chose to send you to Hell regardless of what you do. It is utter nonsense to suggest that our actions have NO bearing on our eternal destiny!
John 6 is also distorted with respect to the issue of “once saved, always saved.” It is true that Jesus said He “will by no means cast out” the one who “comes” (Jn.6:37); and that it is the Father’s will that He “lose nothing” (v.39). But careful study clarifies His meaning. The word “comes,” as well as the word “believes” (cf. v.35, 37, 40), are present tense, indicating that one must “keep on coming” and “keep on believing” in Christ! Hence, as long as one “keeps on coming” and “keeps on believing” in Christ, then that one will not be cast out! It’s just that simple!
In this context, it should also be noted that a “believer” can become an “unbeliever!” Simply put, this means that it is possible to fall away from the Lord (Hb.6:4-8). If we are not vigilant, we can develop “an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hb.3:12). To use the language of our text (Jn.6:35-40), a person can STOP “coming” and “believing” in Christ. And such a one will be “cast out;” for salvation is only promised to the one who “believes” (i.e., “keeps on believing,” cf. Jn.3:16, et al).
It is also in order to point out that “believing” and “coming” are things that man must do. In other words, a saving faith is one that obeys (Mk.16:15-16; Ga.3:26-27; Col.2:11-12; Hb.11:6-8; Jm.2:14-26). The Bible does NOT teach that we are saved by “faith only,” apart from any obedience on our part. That false doctrine is of human origin. God says “obey” more than enough times to confirm that this is no mere “suggestion” (e.g., Jn.8:51; 14:15; 15:14; Hb.5:8-9; Jm.1:21-22; etc.). We will be judged by our DEEDS (Rm.2:5-9; 2Cor.5:10; Rv.20:12-13).
Let me make one more point. In Romans 10:13-16, we learn that “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (v.13). But before one can “call,” he must “hear” and “believe;” THEN he can “call” (v.14). Hence, to “call” is something MORE than to “believe!” In context, to “call” is equal to the phrase, “obeyed the gospel” (v.16). This concurs with the larger context of Scripture, where the phrase, “calling on the name of the Lord,” is equated with being baptized (Ac.22:16). Bottom line: let us be sure we are “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Tm.2:15), so we do not “twist” the Scriptures to our “own destruction” (2Pt.3:16).
--Lanny Smith
