The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 18:8-9,
"'I [Jesus] told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.' This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: 'I have not lost one of those you [the Father] gave me.'"
At the time of his arrest in the garden, Jesus asked that his disciples be let go. John makes an observation that this fulfilled Jesus's words he had spoken earlier. In John 6:39 Jesus told the crowd, "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he [the Father] has given me, but raise them up at the last day."
We view Jesus' request that his disciples in the garden be set free as an initial fulfillment of what Jesus said earlier, that pointed to a future reality. Jesus does not lose anyone who belongs to him. All who have been given him by the Father will not be lost. Not even one. Every one of them will be resurrected to a blessed eternal life. Not most, not some! Each and every last one!
Who are those the Father has given the Son? Everyone who has embraced the Son of God in faith makes up the number the Father has given the Son.
Many today no longer believe in the gospel message of salvation through faith in the Son of God. Reaching back to a misguided teaching of Augustine and furthered by John Calvin and other "reformers", it is taught that salvation is by appointment of certain individuals by God. Faith is relegated to the role of manifesting the appointment God has already made, to be evidenced in God's timing. No human choice is involved and the gospel message is devoid of the power Paul claimed for it... that power now seen in a "roofie" God slips certain ones - "prevenient grace". This is a theological scheme that many are trapped in these days. It was once viewed as an oddity by most believers in years past, but has become so prevalent today that it is seen as orthodoxy and those of us who reject it are viewed as some kind of a heretic.
In any event, God determined before time began, that he would redeem lost mankind, and grant them salvation, one by one, if they embrace Jesus Christ in faith. This is God's choice, his election. Therefore all who respond to the gospel by embracing Jesus Christ in faith through the exercise of their own free will become the "elect" of God. The ones the Father gave the Son are the ones who respond to the gospel by embracing Jesus Christ in faith, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." Romans 10:17. No "roofie" here! "... we maintain that a person is justified by faith" Romans 3:28.
Here is the wonderful news: all who have embraced Jesus Christ in faith have crossed over from death to life and will never, ever be lost. "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live." John 5:24-25.
Our rallying cry should be the words Jesus spoke to Nicodemus, "whoever believes in him [God's one and only Son] shall not perish but have eternal life." Each and every one of us!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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