John 6:22-40
1. The capacity to believe is a gift from God, v. 37
A) Calvinism- an attempt to summarize the doctrines emphasized by John Calvin
T- total depravity of man
U- unconditional election
L- limited atonement
I- irresistible grace
P- perseverance of the saints
B) Arminianism- an attempt to summarize the doctrines emphasized by Jacob Arminius
1) Partial Depravity- humanity is depraved but still able to seek God.
2) Conditional election- God only chooses those whom He knows will choose to believe.
3) Unlimited Atonement- Jesus died for everyone, even those who will not believe
4) Resistible Grace- God's call to be saved can be resisted or rejected
5) Conditional Salvation- Christian can lose their salvation if they actively reject the Holy Spirit’s influence in their life
C) Biblicist- a willingness to simply believe everything the Bible teaches even when it disagrees with my preferences.
** Notice the balance of v. 37...
“All that the Father gives to me will come to me”- affects how I pray!
“whoever comes to me I will never cast out”- whosoever will
2. For the Christian there is great assurance, v. 39
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
-Philippians 1:6
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
-Ephesians 4:30
3. The work of the son is central to the gift of the Father, v. 40
”How are you righteous before God?”
Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. In spite of the fact that my conscience accuses me that I have grievously sinned against all the commandments of God, and have not kept any one of them, and that I am still ever prone to all that is evil, nevertheless, God, without any merit of my own, out of pure grace, grants me the benefits of the perfect sacrifice of Christ, imputing to me his righteousness and holiness as if I had never committed a single sin or had ever been sinful, having fulfilled myself all the obedience which Christ has carried out for me, if only I accept such favor with a trusting heart.