10 - John 6:47

’Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.’ -John 6:47.

Christ is the bread of life come down from heaven to give life to the world; to restore to men what Adam lost. He is the Living One; in him is life; about him are the dead, the men of all nations and all ages; how is the life that is in him to be communicated unto them? There is something to be done by him that this life from heaven may be available for them; and there is something to be done by them that they may actually obtain it. Christ’s discourse, contained in this chapter, expository as it is of the miracle of the loaves, furnishes abundant information on these two points. It was needful that Christ, having come into this world and set forth his character in works and words, should die for the sins of men on the cross, as it is necessary that bread, in order to become food, should be broken. And it was needful that the sinner should appropriate the virtue of Christ’s death; how? by believing on him. The minds of men are so little accustomed to the contemplation of spiritual truth, they are naturally so unconversant with what belongs to spiritual life, that when the things relating to this life are stated to them, no matter how simply, their tendency is to regard the expressions used as referring to mysteries, to be contemplated reverentially afar off, without any clear idea of what they mean. And as faith is represented as the one grand condition on their part, whereby everlasting life becomes their portion, they are disposed to regard it as indicative of some mysterious exercise or attitude of their nature, some uncomprehended process within them, which it would be presumption to attempt clearly to understand, and with which consciousness has not much to do. And so with the word "life;" it has some mystic sense, some mysterious laws, and it is no reproach to us if we do not understand its nature and conditions. For does not the New Testament speak much of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven? In this life must we not necessarily remain ignorant of the processes by which God carries on his work in our spirits?

Ah, what a pity that the expressions of Scripture were not examined more carefully! Mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are spoken of, but they are mysteries revealed. Things long hidden, even from the foundation of the world to the days of Christ, have been cleared up, brought to light, by the Gospel and its epistolary comments, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Blessed are your eyes, for ye see things which kings and prophets in vain desired to see. Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, heart hath not conceived the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, - but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. The veil upon the minds of men in the former generation is done away in Christ. And again, the great things of the kingdom of God are mysteries to those who have not a true faith in Christ. Unto you it is given to know them, says Christ to all sincere inquirers; but to those who are not, the parables remain parables, unsolved problems, letter, not spirit. "The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the Gospel should shine unto them." "Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and know all things." And it is not only the privilege, it is the bounden duty of the believer, to seek to get the Bible entirely open; to address himself to the study of all its mysteries with the strong conviction that the mind of the Spirit is that he should understand them all. Only let him take good heed that he does not forsake or go beyond the guidance of the Spirit in this pursuit; does not allow his imagination to get the better of him; does not seek the mere gratification of his intellect, or the pampering of his self-complacency. The Spirit will unfold to him the mysteries of the kingdom in the order that belongs to this revelation, having regard to the actual measure of intelligence, obedience, aspiration on the part of the believer. We may well believe that there are things in the Scripture that are yet not wholly understood by any but the Spirit that dictated them; but we may equally well believe that some are on the way to the comprehension of them, and one or two or three much nearer than others. He that overcometh shall inherit all things. The entire Scripture is an Apocalypse to the believer: the word apocalypse signifies a taking away of the veil. We come to Christ for the purpose of getting rid of mysteries; we come to him for life, and life is light.

Surely if anything in the world is intelligible it must be ’faith’ to one who really wishes to know. It is of faith that it might be by grace, says the apostle, speaking of salvation; but if this grand condition of salvation were something very difficult to understand, how could it be spoken of as preeminently signalising the grace of God? His grace is his free gift, unpurchased by the remotest approximation to a work on man’s part. Faith is just reception; neither more nor less. God from his throne in heaven says to the sinner who is conscious of his need of a Saviour, Wilt thou have this man to be thy Saviour? Perhaps thou answerest, Who is he, Lord, that I may believe upon him, that I may take him for my Saviour? Then God replies: He is mine elect, my well-beloved Son, Jesus of Nazareth, in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth. Surely thou wilt make answer, favoured sinner, "Yes, Lord, I take him to be my Saviour, him and none other, him now and evermore." What means this shouting in heaven? Why these harpers harping with their golden harps? Simply because thou hast believed, and everlasting life is come to thee. Faith is acquiescence; acquiescence in the Divine arrangements concerning thee; acquiescence in the reign of Christ, in the work of the Spirit, in the directions of the Gospel. This then is the one grand means by which men are to get the benefit of Christ. Nothing done to thee, no rite performed in thy behalf, no round of works accomplished by thee, will cause the life that is in him to find its way to thee. Thou hast but to take what he freely gives thee. And what is that? Forgiveness of thy sins. Access to the Father. His own influence as an intercessor. Gratitude. Self condemnation. Hatred of sin. The Holy Spirit. The knowledge of his will, and conformity to it. The hope of glory. In one word. Life everlasting; for this one word includes all. Thou hast it the very moment thou believest on Christ. The branch has one life with the vine; and it has one life with all the other branches of the vine. They that are truly in Christ cannot but be in one another. In this life is all the fulness of the Godhead; which fulness is more and more revealed to us, and more and more manifested by us as we by faith do more and more give ourselves to Christ.