Prior to these words spoken by Christ, the Jews are questioning Christ concerning His true position and character and confessing their interest in Christ as those who wished to believe in His name.
But Christ declares to them that they had seen Him, that they had known Him; yet they refused to believe in Him. However, this would never alter or take from the great mission Christ came to accomplish — that is to redeem souls; for, says Christ, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
As enabled we shall notice three points:
1. Those given to Christ by the Father — “All that the Father giveth me”
2. Those given to Christ and coming to Christ — “Shall come to me”
3. Christ’s promise, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
First, those given by the Father to Christ
— “All that the Father giveth me”, which is a clear indication of God the Father choosing some of Adam’s lost race to everlasting life. He chose them out of His mere good pleasure. He chose them because He wished to choose them. He chose them, not because He saw something worthy in them, but because He simply wished to have mercy on them. These we call the elect of God, as we read in 1st Peter 1:2, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God”, and therefore, “chosen in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world.”
But we see from our text: that the Father, as well as choosing sinners, is here also giving sinners. Says Christ, “All that the Father giveth me.” So plainly, God the Father chose in order to give to Christ.
A strange object to give, because these creatures have the pollution of sin upon them. They are dead in trespasses and sin, and full of the guilt of sin. They are not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be. They are diametrically opposed to Christ, and are the very opposite of Christ. He is holy, they are unholy. He is good, they are bad. He is righteous, they are unrighteous. He is alive, they are dead. He is infinitely glorious in majesty, might and purity. They are absolutely vile in every sense of the term. Nevertheless, the Father gave such vile creatures to His Son. Whatever for? Why should He give to Christ what was so opposite to the holy nature of Christ? Why? So that Christ might make them like Himself, holy and without spot, without wrinkle or any such thing. He gave them to Christ that He might save them; that He might redeem them from death and from the curse of the Law which speaks death to every transgressor, and from the Hand of Justice which executes death on every transgressor. Just how did Christ do that? Simply by taking this curse, which for Him meant death. It meant that He be forsaken by His Father. It meant that the Father visit Christ with the fire of His righteous indignation against sin. This done, Christ cries, “It is finished.” This done, we hear the angel say, “He is not here, for He is risen . . . come see the place where the Lord lay.” This done, we read, “Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sin.” (Acts 5: 31).
So then, those given to Christ by the Father are redeemed by Christ. Christ in fact is their priest and by this priestly act He atoned for their sin.
But now notice secondly how those who are given to Christ come to Christ.
They come to Christ as the only person able to redeem them. Therefore they are constrained to come to Him; and Christ will bring that about in a number of ways.
First in His office as prophet.
That is to say, Christ prepares His word to send to them. “Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (1 Peter 1:2). This is Christ in His office as prophet preparing the Word. That Word we now have, the Word of God, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. The great prophet of the Church, Christ Jesus, has done this. For what reason? That those whom the Father gave him may hear of the only atonement for sin; of the love, pity and compassion in the death of Christ, for sinners such as they are. Then also Christ exercised His power
in his office as King,
that those given Him by the Father may come to Him. He so orders His governing of the world that His Word is sent to these people. He overrules all matters so that that Word of His assuredly comes to the ears of these people. He will build up worldly kingdoms to this end. He will destroy kingdoms to this end. He raises up preachers to this end. He commanded them, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 15:15). He touches the hearts of people to this end, that they may tithe of their substance, thus enabling the Word of God to circulate to the ends of the earth. He as King does great things that His Word may reach all those whom the Father hath given Him.
Another great matter which Christ does as King is this —
He keeps His Word pure.
He does not allow it to be defiled, to be changed. Although many groups are defiling the Word of God, changing the Word of God, making the atonement what it is not, turning the Word of God into a lie, that is not the doing of the King. It is the doing of men! But Christ the King will have Godly men in the world, whom He will use to preserve His Word in its purity. What for? That those whom the Father gave Him would hear this Word, would hear the everlasting Gospel which “is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16).
Also Christ as King must do another thing for those given Him by the Father.
He must renew their will.
They are by nature of their Father the devil, alienated, separated from God, enemies of God. “The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can be.” (Romans 8:7). Of them, as of all men, Christ says, “Ye will not come to Me that ye might have life.” (John 5:40). Hence the necessity to make sinners willing to come to Christ. This Christ does by sending His blessed Holy Spirit. So we read, “A willing people in thy day of power shall come to Thee.” (Psalm 100:3). Here is the turning point in their lives.
They have heard that they are sinners; they have heard their need of a saviour, a saviour like Christ. They are fully convinced of these things, and so are wonderfully attracted to Christ as exalted in the everlasting Gospel. Therefore they cry, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Such, we are assured from the Parable of the Publican, go down to their house justified. So another of those given by the Father to Christ, has come to Christ.
Now thirdly, what of those spoken of by Christ, in the promise at the end of the text, “Him that cometh to Me I will, in no wise cast out.”
Are these different from those given by the Father to Christ? No indeed. They are one and the same people.
However, true believers are often concerned about the sovereignty of God, and the election of God. They have no argument with it. They do not, as some do, ignore the matter, or bitterly attack these doctrines and stroke them out of the Word of God; rather they are afraid they may not be of the elect. But Christ assures them that, “Whosoever comes to Him He will in no wise cast out.” That is to say, if they have an affection for Christ, a desire for Christ as their Saviour, to draw near to Christ to partake of Christ, to rest on Christ, to hope in Christ, to venture their soul on the finished work of Christ and to come to Christ as He is freely offered to sinners in the Gospel, Christ encourages them. “I will in no wise cast thee out,” or “I will not, no, I will not cast thee out.” Hence that poor sinner who comes to Christ, as He is so offered to Him in the Gospel, is assured by Christ that He will not cast Him out. Such may be assured also that He is of the elect. Why is that? Because what is true of the elect is, that they truly come to Christ to save them. “A willing people in thy day or power shall come to thee.” May this be our blessed lot, and may we seek Christ to this end.
Now last of all as we noted in our lecture, Christ as King uses means to bring sinners to Himself, namely the everlasting Gospel; and to spread that Gospel He touches the hearts of people to give of their substance. Thus money is provided, enabling the Church to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. In Holland we have a great company here today, all, we trust, with a desire, as in the past, to spread this Word. This you do with your tithing. You in your way publish the Word. Thus God works.
“The Lord himself did give the word,
the word abroad did spread;
Great was the company of them
the same who published.”
(Psalm 68:11).
Dear friends, we who know your liberality, we who know your labours; we who know the fruit of your labours in Africa, we sincerely acknowledge your work, and give thanks for your work, and praise God that He has opened your hearts towards His work in Africa. May God richly bless you in body and soul. Amen.
Rhodesian Mission
Rev. and Mrs D. A. Ross and family, who were home on furlough, returned to the Mission on 23rd June.