John 6:66-69
Our Lord had pressed
upon his hearers the great truths of the gospel. He told them plainly that he
was God the Eternal Son. He taught them man’s complete spiritual depravity and
inability. He explained to them the fact that salvation is altogether of God’s
sovereign grace. And he insisted that no man is born-again, except that man who
is joined to Christ by a living and vital union of faith. But
these men who followed Christ only for material gain, or out of a religious
curiosity, or because they had eaten the miraculously produced loaves, were
offended at his doctrine. And “from that time many of his disciples went
back, and walked no more with him.”
Then
our Lord turned to the twelve and asked this searching question – “Will ye also
go away?” Now I put the question to you. Many have gone away. It is likely that
many more will yet do so. I fear that even some of our own number might become
offended because of the gospel and go back, go back to the world, go back to
the world’s religion, go back to the world’s way. Will
you?
But
this I know, those who are truly born-again, those who have experienced the
grace of God, been redeemed by the blood of Christ, and been called to life by
the Holy Spirit cannot go away. Those who truly know Christ can never leave
him. We know our desperate need of him. Therefore, God’s elect return with this
satisfying answer, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” Sometimes, we are tempted and
the world tugs hard at our hearts. But we know that no one can satisfy our need
and our heart’s desire, but Christ. Christ alone has the words of eternal life.
He is the Word of Life. The promise of life is in him. He is the Life itself,
and the Way to life. We believe and are sure that Jesus of Nazareth is that
Christ whom God has sent. He is God’s Anointed Prophet, Priest, and King. He is
the promised Redeemer. He is the Son of the Living God. The law cannot help us.
The world cannot satisfy us. We must cling to Christ. He is All.