Anchors for our Faith(6:37-40)

JOHN 6:37-40• All that the Father gives me will come to

me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day…

JOHN 6:37-40• …For this is the will of my Father, that

everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

JOHN 3:16-17• For God so loved the world, that he gave

his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Conversion The willing response to the gospel call, in which we sincerely repent of sins and place

our trust in Christ for salvation(Grudem)

Conversion• (1:12) – …to all who did receive him, who believed in

his name, he gave the right to become children of God• (3:15) – … whoever believes in him may have eternal

life• (3:16) – … whoever believes in him should not perish

but have eternal life• (3:18) – Whoever believes in him is not condemned• (3:36) – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life…• (5:24) – …whoever hears my word and believes him

who sent me has eternal life

JOHN 6:40• For this is the will of my Father, that

everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life

JOHN 6:26• Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to

you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves

JOHN 6:35• Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life;

whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

2 Anchors thatEstablish, Explain, Ensure our

Conversion• ELECTION

– (6:37a) – All that the Father gives me will come to me,…– God’s Decree in the PAST…

• CONVERSION– (6:37b) – …whoever comes to me I will never cast out.– (6:40) – …everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him

should have eternal life– Becomes a Reality in the PRESENT…

• SECURITY– (6:40) – everyone who looks on the Son and believes…I will

raise him up on the last day.– Secures an Ultimate Fulfillment in the FUTURE…

Leon MorrisBoth of these truths receive emphasis, but

nowhere, I think, do the Bible writers attempt to bring them together. That is not one of the things that has been revealed. And Christian theologians have not been

conspicuously successful when they try to harmonize them. They usually emphasize one group of passages at the expense of

the other. I suspect that the problem is too big for our little minds.

JOHN 6:37a• All that the Father gives me will come to

me,…

JOHN 10:28-29• I give them eternal life, and they will never

perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand

JOHN 10:24-27• The Jews gathered around him, saying,

"How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

ElectionThe act of God before creation in which he chooses some people to be saved, not on account of any forseen merit in them, but only because of his sovereign good pleasure.

2 Peter 1:10• Therefore, my brothers, be all the more

eager to make your calling and election sure

Ephesians 1:11• In him we were also chosen, having been

predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will

Colossians 3:12• Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy

and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5

• For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake

2 Timothy 1:8-9• Therefore do not be ashamed of the

testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began

Revelation 17:14• They will make war against the Lamb, but

the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."

Revelation 13:8• and all who dwell on earth will worship it,

everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

Acts 13:42• …as many as had been appointed to

eternal life believed

James 2:5• Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God

chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

Matthew 13:20• If the Lord had not cut short those days, no

one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them

Daniel 4:35• All the peoples of the earth are regarded as

nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"

Isaiah 14:26-27• This is the plan determined for the whole

world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

Psalm 139:16• your eyes saw my unformed body. All the

days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be

Deuteronomy 7:6• For you are a people holy to the LORD your

God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the LORD loved you…

Romans 9:10-16• Not only that, but Rebekah's children had

one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "The older will serve the younger." Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.“…

Romans 9:10-16• … What then shall we say? Is God unjust?

Not at all! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy

Ephesian 1:4• For he chose us in him before the creation

of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

JOHN 6:37• All that the Father gives me will come to

me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out

JOHN 6:40• … that everyone who looks on the Son and

believes in him should have eternal life

The Pattern• The Father…

– Chooses in Eternity Past– Draws the Elect to Christ (6:44)

• The Believer…– Willingly Looks to Christ– Willingly Believes in Him

• The Son…– Receives the Believer– Secures the Believer

Ord

er o

f Sal

vatio

n 1.Election (God’s choosing)2.Gospel Call (preaching of the gospel)3.Regeneration (being born again)4.Conversion (faith & repentance)5.Justification (right legal standing)6.Adoption (admission into God’s family)7.Sanctification (increasing purity)8.Perseverance (remaining faithful)9.Glorification (made perfectly complete)

i. Numbers 3-6 take place simultaneously when someone “becomes a Christian”

ii. Numbers 7-8 work themselves out in this lifeiii. Number 10 occurs after death

Background Theology1. God is Sovereign

2. People make Willing Choices, which have Real Effects in the world, and for which they are Morally Responsible to God

3. God Owes us Nothing – Except Judgement

Our Response1. Deep Humility2. Amazement at His Grace3. Heartfelt Worship4. Life of Obedience

Spurgeon• I believe the doctrine of election, because I am quite sure that if God had not chosen me

I should never have chosen him; and I am sure he chose me before I was born, or else he never would have chosen me afterwards;

and he must have elected me for reasons unknown to me, for I never could find any

reason in myself why he should have looked upon me with special love

Implications1. We can Be Sure that What God has

Decided WLL Come to Pass 2. We can be Encouraged to Endure

Persecution & Trouble 3. We need Not Beat Ourselves Up When

Some People Reject Christ 4. We Should Be More Emboldened than

ever to engage in Evangelism & Missions

Spurgeon• Election in the Christians should make him very FEARLESS and BOLD. No man will be so bold as he who believes that he is elect of God. What worry

does he have about man, if he is chosen of his Maker? What will he care for the pitiful chirpings of some tiny sparrows when he knows that he is an eagle of the royal race? Will he care when the beggar makes fun of him, when the royal blood of

heaven runs in his veins? Will he fear if all the world stands against him? If all the earth is at war, he dwells in perfect peace, for he is in the secret place of the tabernacle of the Most High, in the

great pavilion of the Almighty