Excepts Of Jesus
John 6:44,65 "No man can come to me, EXCEPT the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day." "And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, EXCEPT it be given unto him of the Father.
It would be good for one to read the entire sixth chapter of John if one desires to comprehend fully the meaning of the above two verses. This chapter records the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus' subsequent discourse on the "Bread of Life."
No person can come to God the Son, EXCEPT the Father that sent the Son draw him. Now, verse forty-five explains the preceding verse forty-four. God draws men by teaching. "It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me." (Verse forty-five; emphasis mine, drg)
In the conversion of the sinner, God enlightens the mind through teaching. He inclines the will of man by His love, His laws, and His promises. God is seeking to "draw men" by the teaching of His Son through the sacred scriptures. The question is: "Will man listen or not? i.e;. Will each individual accept the drawing or reject it?"
"Draw" is a beautiful term describing the work of Divine love on the hearts of men. If God draws by teaching, then it proves that man is responsible for what he hears and obeys. God will not force — but draws; He will not compel — but persuades.
"The ancients declared that their god Jupiter had a chain of gold which he could at any time let down from heaven and by it draw the earth and all its inhabitants to himself. Only a fable, yet it is true that our God, the only wise and true God has a Golden Chain, the Lord Jesus Christ, which, in the fulness of time, He let down from heaven to earth to DRAW His erring creatures to Himself.
Did He not say of Himself, "And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me.' The lifting and drawing power of the Word of God is the story of the cross it declares and proclaims." ("Handfuls on Purpose" by R. Lee, P. 121)
So God draws by His inspired Word. It is our duty to hear, learn, and obey. Therefore, two elements are concerned in man's coming to Christ: Namely, (1) the individual's will, and (2) the Divine drawing. No man comes unless he wills to come. Jesus said, "Ye will not come to me, that ye may have life." (John 5:40) Our Lord said to Jerusalem, "How often would I have gathered thy children together...and ye would not." (Matt. 23:37)
Men can refuse to come to God, and sadly, many do. God does not compel, but He says "he that will, let him take the water of life freely." (Rev. 22:17)
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