1. Drawing is the activity of God by which
he makes it possible for a person to believe in Christ as savior.
A. Man by nature has no capacity to relate
to the things of God.
Gen. 8:21; Eph. 2.3; Rom. 5.6a; 1 Cor.2:14
B. Man, in and of himself has nothing
that will incline him to seek for God. Rom. 3.10-12
C. And so God must provide for man what
he needs in order to believe. Romans 10:13-18
1. God consciousness: Rom. 10:18; 1:18-20;
Ps. 19:1-4
2. Gospel hearing: Rom. 10:17
3. John 1:9 - calls this enlightening
every man
4. Thus, together it accomplishes God's
drawing of man to himself.
2. In order to come to Christ:
A. Must be drawn by the Father: John 6:44
B. Must be given ability from the Father:
John 6:65
1. No one can: is able = dunamai - present
middle indicative
2. to come to me = aorist infinitive -
erchomai
3. unless it: 3rd singular of the verb
points back to "able" and refers to the idea of ability.
4. has been given to him: This is a periphrastic
construction.
eimi - present subjunctive + perfect passive
participle of didomi.
Ability is given to the person so he can
come.
5. from the Father: the Father is the
one who gives the ability.
The ability is given by the communication
of information.
3. Christ taught that the salvation provision
by His work on the cross actually draws all men. John 12:32-33
A. Principle of Divine desire and intent:
1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9; Titus 2:11
B. Principle of a universal ransom: 2
Cor. 5:14; 1 Tim. 2:6
4. So then, all are drawn to fulfill that
divine intent. And this gives all men the capacity to relate to God at
the time they are drawn. John 1:9 - spark of enlightenment
5. But not all will come to Christ even
though they are drawn.
John 3:36, 64; 3:18, 36; 1:10-12
6. All whom the Father gives to Christ
will come to Him. John 6:37
A. This is not the same as the "giving"
mentioned in v. 65
B. In v. 65 - something (ability) is given
to a person so that he is able to come, but he himself chooses whether
or not to use that ability.
C. After he uses that ability and decides
to trust in Christ, The Father gives that person to Christ and he comes
to Him.
D. Giving is also based on the foreknowledge
of God knowing from eternity past, those would trust in Christ.
Rom. 8:29; 1 Pet. 1:2
E. Accordingly, those who will believe
are assigned by God to Christ, and thus they become a part of the pre-designed
plan and destiny for the human race IN CHRIST.
1. Eph. 1:3-6 with Rom. 8:29-30
2. Acts 13:48
7. So the drawing of God is the provision
of information so that a person may come to Christ.
A. Again, based on the divine intent:
2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:4
B. John 6:45 - all are taught. All hear.
Rom. 10:13-18
C. This is called beholding in John 6:40:
present active participle of theoreo
D. The convicting ministry of the Spirit:
Jn 16;8-11; 1:4-9
E. Principle of moral stability: Acts
17:26-27
F. The kindness of God leads to repentance:
Rom. 2:4; Titus 2:11
G. Spark of enlightenment: John 1:9
8. But hearing, beholding and being convicted
is not enough.
A. The one who beholds, must believe:
John 6:40
B. The one who hears must learn: John
6:45
(accept the value of the gospel and trust it)
C. The one who is led to repentance must
follow through. Rom. 2:5-10
D. This is called the obedience of faith:
Rom. 1:5
(Heb. 5:9; John 3:36; 2 Thes. 1:8; 1 Pet. 4:17)
E. And receiving the love of the truth:
2 Thes. 2:10
(this is the result of recognizing value in the message of truth and thus
expressing an initial "love" for it)
F. The picture in John 6:47-58 is eating
and drinking
9. This act of faith/obedience is made
possible to man because God allows him to hear and behold. Thus the drawing
activity of God.
A. To see the issues and say yes, is to
be given faith. 1 Cor. 3:5
B. Faith is given by hearing the word:
Rom. 10:17
C. When one hears the truth of the gospel
is is given the capacity to choose for God. The conviction of the Spirit
enables him to receive faith. 2 Pet. 1:1
D. Those who receive faith are then (or
have been) assigned to Christ by the Father. They are given to Him.
E. These come to him and none are ever
cast out. John 6:37-39
