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| I have this big jar of water ready to wash the feet of saints who are guests at our home!1Ti 5:10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. |
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;
and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
John 6:37
TWO distinct comings are spoken of in this passage: one in which the elect is completely passive, and the other in which the children of God is active.
The first coming involves the complete number of God's elect: 'all that the Father giveth me shall come to me.' That means not a single elect will fail to come in this manner. This is the coming to Christ as the effect of the effectual call of God, by His Spirit and eternal Word. It is this effectual call alone that guarantees ALL that the Father GIVES Christ (in the effectual call out of the state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation) shall come to Christ, united to Christ. God, by Him sovereign almighty power does the calling, and each elect is called out of the state of sin and death, brought to righteousness and eternal salvation in Christ Jesus.
John 6:45 "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me." [This coming is true of every elect... since every elect is taught of God at effectual calling].
Heb 10:15 "Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them."
The second coming in the same verse deals with each individual who does hear the gospel call and come to Christ. [The words 'him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out' are obviously said to encourage and comfort those weary and burden and hesitating souls to personally and consciously draw nigh to Christ and rest in Him.] If these words refer to each elect being drawn to Christ by the sovereign act of God, then these words of comfort and assurance are rendered incomprehensible and meaningless.
There are two comings: the coming to Christ (or being brought to Christ) by the effectual call of God, and the coming to Christ through the gospel call of a preacher.
Of the first coming, each and every elect of God will come unto Christ through God's sovereign act of effectual calling. John 6:45 speaks of the same.
Of the second coming, each and every one who hears and believes the gospel comes to Christ through the gospel call.
The last sentence is not saying that every regenerate elect will hear and believe the gospel. There are regenerated elect who do not have the ability and/or opportunity to hear the gospel. Nevertheless, God's free grace effectual call has perfectly fitted them for eternal glory.
May the Lord bless you to know the truth if you have read up to this line!
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