Anchor My Faith

Are You One Who Believes?

Scripture: John 6:64-67

In the previous lesson we saw the importance of the words of Jesus. They are more than just words with meaning, they are words that contain spirit and life and are essential for spiritual development prior to spiritual birth. Without the work done from the power of those words, spiritual birth would not take place.

We start this lesson with Jesus defining two groups of people. ^{Jn 6:64} “But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)” The ability to know who truly believes and who doesn’t, shows the divine omniscience of Jesus. Another indication of this characteristic is to know the future. In this example he knew who would betray him.

Why do some not believe? Have they not heard or seen enough to convince them? When Jesus said, “there are some of you who do not believe” is he implying that they never would believe? What might be a reason for their unbelief? Jesus gives them a reason, ^{Jn 6:65} “He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”’

It might appear that the Father prevents those he has not chosen from coming to salvation, but when you consider what Paul said in Romans 3:10 – 12 you clearly see the reason: ¹⁰ “None is righteous, no, not one; ¹¹ no one understands; no one seeks for God. ¹² All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” The Father chooses who he will adopt and brings them into his family and as he does, he places spiritual life within them and the gestation period begins. Those are the ones who come to Jesus; those granted by the Father. (Synonyms for gestation are development, growth, maturation, and pregnancy. Think about these terms in your own life before coming to the point of spiritual birth.)

Jesus has been saying some hard things and now his last comment was the final blow for many who were following him. ^{Jn 6:66} “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. ⁶⁷ So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”’

In a previous lesson, when Jesus was addressing the crowds from the side of the mountain, we described three groups of people: closest to Jesus were the twelve disciples, then next were those who followed him to learn from him and were also called disciples, and then farther away were those who followed him to have their needs met or to be a part of the social activities. When “many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him” it would be those from this second group. As those disciples walk away, Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”

We will cover their answer in the next lesson as we finish this section.

Conclusion

I am so thankful the Father chose me, a child of the devil, and placed the seed of God within me, starting my spiritual journey, granting me the right and giving me the desire to come to Jesus. Father, thank you for causing me to be born again (1 Peter 1:3 ESV).