John 6:52-71 – Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, the one who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread that came down out of heaven, not as the fathers ate and died; the one who eats this bread will live forever.” These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. 60 So then many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This statement is very unpleasant; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, aware that His disciples were complaining about this, said to them, “Is this offensive to you? 62 What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” As a result of this many of His disciples left, and would no longer walk with Him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to leave also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 And we have already believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot; for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.
“So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to leave also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 And we have already believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” I have loved these verses from the first time I read them. Yes, yes, yes! Simon Peter said what was in my heart. I was horrified at the question posed to the twelve asking if they also wanted to leave and stop following Him. What? Now that I have been saved from eternal death would I leave? No! Leave to what? To the shame of my past life of doing what I knew in my heart was wrong? To return to not knowing my beautiful Savior and Lord? No, no no! Horror upon horror. From depending on God to lead me to trying again to do the job myself? Oh no, unless I am kicked out I’m not going anywhere. And I know I won’t get kicked out of the relationship with the Lord. He doesn’t break His promises. (John 6:37) No, I’m staying with Him. I know I’ve got it good! Peter and the rest knew that Jesus was the promised Savior who had come from the Father. Jesus has made it possible for me to be enlightened to the wisdom and knowledge of God, to taste the heavenly gift and to have the sweet, gentle and eternally persevering Holy Spirit to come within my heart. I have been made able to taste the esoteric knowledge that the Spirit gives and have witnessed the power of the Almighty. (Hebrews 6:4-5) I have the best of everything and should I leave to return to abject wretchedness? No, I will not, not by my will and I know, not by God’s will! Praise God!
“Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot; for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.” Jesus said to the twelve in John 15:16 that the Apostles did not choose Jesus but Jesus choose them. They all had an equal chance to succeed. Jesus did not choose Judas as some kind of cruel chicanery to him. He did not choose Judas only to yank salvation from him. Anyone who knows and loves the Lord knows that is not the nature of our Lord. Looking to John Chapter 13, Jesus was fully aware that Judas was to betray Him, yet Jesus was still treating Jesus as He was treating the others. Judas was eating meals with Him and the rest of the Apostles even though Jesus knew that Judas had already determined he was going to betray Jesus. That night after everyone had eaten, Judas also had his feet washed by Jesus. Let us remember that Jesus humbled Himself to feed Judas and to wash His feet even though He knew Judas was about to betray Him. So we see the difference of how foreknowledge adds to the conversation of predestination. To know the future and plan accordingly does not mean to make a person suffer for what one would never have done. Rather it is to plan because of fore-knowledge. If we know that there is great road to travel upon for an upcoming journey, but we also know that the road has been washed away, then we plan accordingly.
God is good to the evil and to the good, He sends blessings to both. (Matthew 5:44-48) So Jesus died for everyone in the world (John 3:16) and He does not want anyone to perish. (2 Peter 3:9) God loves us all including the ones who have believed and come to Him to obey and follow, and the ones who will later come, and also the ones who will never come. Till the day they die God loves even those who will perish. He loves us though He knows us, though He knows everyone. (John 2:24) Why, because He is who He is. We know that God is love. (1 John 4:8) Since He is love we know that a description of love is a description of who He is “Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a) These help us to understand who and what God is. The fruit of the Holy Spirit God give us further insight “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23) These things are what we know comes in eternal abundance from Him to us. And let us not worry our stumbles are too much for Him to bear because we know that He will always help us up and encourage us to keep going. And that is, knowing the greatness of our God and Savior, what we should keep doing. In His grace and love, let’s keep going, keep serving Him. How grand it is! Leave Jesus? What foolishness. Glory and praise to God who keeps us! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.