# 118 Not By My Own Reason Or Strength

 

# 118 Not By My Own Reason Or Strength

 

Joh 6:36 "But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 "This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

 

Seeing is not necessarily believing! These people have witnessed the miracles and still refuse to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. Something more has to happen for people to come to faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God! (Rom 10:17) It is the Word of God, God speaking to the individual soul through the bedrock promises of Scripture that ignite faith in Jesus.

 

It is the Father who gives, He initiates, and all those whom the Father gives, come to Jesus, and when they come to Jesus, He promises to not cast them out. After all, it “is the will of the Father that of all that the Father gives Jesus, He should lose nothing, but raise it up on the Last Day.”.

 

We Lutherans believe this about the work of the Holy Spirit and faith. In the third article of the Apostle’s Creed we say: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.”

 

That pretty much sums up this portion of John. God initiates the salvation process. He must! For I am a dead man spiritually before He comes to me! He is the One who gave me the faith to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He is the one who died for my sins, and through the Holy Spirit keeps me believing!

 

It’s all been done for me and continues to be done for me through the keeping power of the Holy Spirit. These gifts of faith and everlasting life through faith are irrevocable. They are sure promises that ever stand. They are only revoked when my heart becomes hardened and I revoke them!

 

Oh, how I need Jesus! It is as the old hymn says: “I need Thee, O I need Thee; Every hour I need Thee; O bless me now my Savior! I come to Thee!”

 

And Jesus says, “Don’t worry, keep coming to Me I will by no means cast you out!”

Oh what a blessed promise! Wretch that I am, Jesus died for me while I was yet a sinner, and He lives for me now, even in my continued imperfections, forgiving me, cleansing me, sanctifying me, helping me walk in newness of life. And one glorious day, I know He will raise me up to everlasting life!