All That the Father Giveth Me

All That the Father Giveth Me

John 6:37

            “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

            Here is a clear and unambiguous statement from the Lord of Glory “all that the Father giveth to me shall come to me;” this is simply a statement of fact all that the Father giveth the Son will infallibly come to Him in faith, believing on Christ to the saving of their soul. God the Father has elected or chosen His people from among the inhabitants of the earth in eternity past (Ephesians 1:3-11) and has secured them in federal union in Jesus Christ, or put another way; the Father sanctified the elect in Christ Jesus, that is to say the Father set the elect apart in Jesus Christ (Exodus 13: 2 compared with Exodus 13:12 here understand that to sanctify is to set apart) (Jude 1; I Corinthians 1:2). And God the Father has sent His only begotten Son into this world to bring His many sons (the elect) to final glory. This statement is absolute there are no extenuations, no contingencies, it is absolute and unconditional, this is a statement of the Fathers will in sending His only begotten Son into this world that He might gather together all His chosen in one, that is in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:10).

            In God’s covenant or testamentary dealings with men both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, the transactions are sealed by blood (Hebrews 9:18-22; Matthew 26:28). The Old Testament was a temporary administration of the everlasting covenant of grace, designed to prove to men, that man can never be justified before God by his personal obedience to the law. Men cannot be justified by their works under the law for by the law is the knowledge of sin (Psalm 143:2; Romans 3:20). And “the scripture hath concluded all under sin” (Galatians 3:22). The law has shown men what they should do, because they are creatures made by God. Being rational creatures they should obey and worship God. However, all men having fallen in sin in the first man (Adam) are ruined creatures, they are totally depraved, are lost to God and are so lost that they can neither desire to return nor can they return to fellowship with God. Therefore man must be forever lost, ruined, and damned, unless God in free grace will do something for the fallen sinner. And God has done something about man in his ruined condition. God, in His absolute sovereignty has elected or chosen a remnant, (Romans 11:5) taken from among men of every people, tongue, kindred, and nation (Revelation 5:9) and has given them to His Son for their safety and finally to be, by Jesus Christ brought to glory, for “the Lord will give grace and glory:” (Psalm 84:10; II Thessalonians 2:13, 14).

            Our Lord Jesus’ statement was “all that the Father giveth me shall come to me” (Jn. 6:37). Therefore everyone the Father has given the Son shall come to the Son for all salvation, and only those who were given to the Son do so, those who never come to the Son were not given to the Son. In our Lord’s Great High Priestly Prayer He said “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.” (John 17:6). These men along with those that would believe through their word (verse 20) were given to Christ Jesus before the world began. They had been the Father’s by His choice of them from among men, and the Father has committed them to the Surety of the New Testament.

That Surety is Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:22) on whom the Father has imposed the office of Mediator of the everlasting covenant. The everlasting covenant is in the hand of Jesus Christ the New Testament. As Mediator, Jesus Christ stands in the law place of each of the elect, He stood condemned by the law of God in the room and stead of the elect because of their covenant interest in His Mediation. Their covenant interest in the Mediation of Jesus Christ stems from their having been from eternity chosen in federal union with Christ (Ephesians 1:3-11; II Timothy 1:9; II Thessalonians 2:13; Romans 8:28-39; I Peter 1:2). They stand in their federal Head, in union with Him from everlasting, and because of this union they are reckoned of God one in and with Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:22, 23). Therefore all that Christ has done and suffered the elect in Jesus Christ did and suffered. When Christ fulfilled the law to its jot and tittle His members did so in Him (I Corinthians 12: 12, 13, 27). In all Christ’s sufferings and doings the church of the elect were one with Him. When Christ satisfied the law and justice of God, the church in Jesus Christ satisfied the law and justice of God (I John 2:2).

All the elect in Christ are justified in Christ, for they are justified by His shed blood and righteousness (Romans 5:9; 4:22-25). Because the elect in Christ (Ephesians 1:4) have fulfilled the law in Christ they shall live in Christ. “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 18:5). Since the elect have fulfilled the law in Christ, they must live in Christ. These are they who having been given to Christ from eternity shall come to Christ in time and receive eternal salvation. Their works have nothing to do with their being chosen in Christ from eternity “for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8, 9). “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” (II Timothy 1:8, 9).

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me” all that the Father gave to His Son were given in eternity past, and concerning them our Lord Jesus said “this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:28). Notice His blood was shed for many, not all, but many. How many? “as many as thou hast given Him” (John 17:2) what then has faith to do with salvation? “as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:48). Then are there few that will be saved, no there are very many, for there is a great multitude that no man can number, but by comparison to all the sons of Adam there are but very few. 

A.J. Ison