Without realizing it, many of us somehow misinterpret Scripture by misunderstanding context. Sometimes we quote a favorite verse to support our view but without realizing it, unintentionally of course, we sometimes miss the point.

Understanding Scripture

John 6:44 is one good example of an often-quoted verse. In this verse Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

Of course, we can easily understand this verse and its meaning is quite clear. That is, if this verse — this sentence — is all by itself and there are no other verses surrounding it. But there lies the problem. Interpreting a verse in isolation — apart from its surrounding context — can mislead us into a wrong interpretation.

Bible Interpretation

We have to remember a sound principle in interpretation that: Words or phrases derive its meaning depending on how it is used in a particular context.

Another way of saying it is that: In interpretation, the message of the text is not conveyed through single words alone but through words in relationship with each other as they occur in a specific literary context.

Is God Saving Only a Few?

Without considering its surrounding context, we can misunderstand John 6:44 to mean that God is limiting the number of those whom he will save or elect.

Some interpret this verse to mean that only a few elected ones are predestined to be saved and the rest of humanity will be damned or predestined in hell.

Is God Saving All?

On the other hand, some people believe that verse 44 is talking about God forcing people to be saved. They get their idea by focusing on the word draw which they translate as drag. That is, God will drag people to be saved whether they like it or not.

As you can see, various views are generated by this one verse alone. But what is Jesus really telling us in John 6:44? Let’s find out and check its surrounding context.

Getting the Context

It is always best to read the whole chapter to get the larger context. In John 6:41 we find Jesus claiming to be the Bread of Life or the Bread that came down from heaven. The Jews began to grumble and complain when Jesus claimed divine status by saying that he is the Bread from heaven. It was tantamount to blasphemy according to the Jews.

On this occasion, Jesus was in his very own hometown in Capernaum and he was talking to fellow Jews who knew him and his parents, his brothers and sisters and maybe his relatives too. For these fellow townmates, Jesus was just one of the guys in town and they knew him. It was difficult for them to just suddenly accept Jesus’ claim that he is the Bread of Life that came down from heaven.

Jesus’ reply to the Jews was that they should not grumble (verse 43) if many people are coming to him. Jesus said that it was the Father who was drawing these many people to come to him — the Bread of Life (verse 44). Yes, the Father was the one inviting, enabling and drawing everyone to come to Jesus, the Bread of life. God opens our minds so that we will come to Jesus. As Jesus began to preach all over the place, he affirmed his divine status as the Bread of life. That is the surrounding context of John 6:44.

Everyone is Invited!

My main point in this blog is to show that God was not limiting the number of people who are drawn to him. Most people assume this is the meaning of John 6:44 when reading it outside of its surrounding context. But in reality, God was inviting, enabling and drawing everyone to come to Christ — the Bread of life!

This very verse which some people use to support a view that only a few will be saved or only a few are elected at this time is a verse that tells us that God wants to include and save all! God loves the whole world (John 3:16)!

Verse 40 is interesting and is quite clear: “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Please take note that verse 40 is part of the immediate context and should not be disregarded! This is God’s open invitation to all!

Please also take note of Verse 45: “It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.” (John 6:45)

Jesus was simply saying in verse 44 that the reason why people are coming to Jesus is because the Father has enabled them (John 6:65). No one could come to Jesus if the Father has not enabled them. That is, God opens their minds to see and understand.

This does not mean that people are dragged and forced against their will. The context is clear. One has to “look to the Son” and believe (verse 40). He has to listen or take heed and obey (verse 45).

Christ Will Draw All Men To Himself

Clearly then, God is not limiting the number of those whom he will save. The opposite is intended by Jesus Christ in John 6:44. God wants to draw all men to himself (John 12:32). He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

This is the context of John 6:44, the context of the whole book of John and the context of Scripture viewed from a Christ-centered point of view. You are already loved (John 3:16)! You are already accepted! You are already included! You already belong to Jesus Christ! God has already reconciled you to himself! Therefore be reconciled back to God! Therefore believe it and become who you really are in Jesus Christ!

God is not limiting the number of those who will be saved. Everybody is invited to come and enjoy life and love in Jesus Christ! Therefore accept God’s acceptance of you!

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Advent at GC Pampanga

Yesterday, I attended a worship service at the local church of the Grace Communion International (GCI) in Bacolor, Pampanga. It was the second Sunday of Advent and the sermon speaker gave a message about peace. As part of his sermon, a ceremonial lighting of the second candle by the senior pastor and his wife was done. It was actually an electric light bulb which looked like a lighted candle but it was symbolic and meaningful.

Back in November 29, 2009 in this same congregation, realizing the importance of this Christian tradition, we began our first-ever lighting of the first candle during the first day of Advent. I think that they have continued this practice since then if I’m not mistaken.

Advent at GC Davao City

In the Davao City congregation, they began this practice back in 2004. I’m not sure though if they have continued this practice until now. Beginning in 1995, GCI began to adapt — slowly but surely — the traditional Christian calendar in the hope that our congregations might focus more and more on Jesus Christ.

Traditionally for some Christian churches, they light one candle for each of the four Sundays just before Christmas. For some, they light a fifth candle during Christmas day itself. All these candles symbolize Jesus Christ who is the Light of the world (John 1:9) who has come to earth through his birth (incarnation) in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago. The four Sundays before Christmas symbolically picture the excitement and anticipation for the coming (Advent) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Advent at GC Crossway

Last week during the first Sunday of Advent, I had the privilege to be invited to speak for the first time at Grace Communion Crossway, a GCI local church meeting regularly at the Home Depot at the Ortigas Center. It was a great opportunity for me to preach to the local church about Advent and what it means. I explained to them that during this season, we were actually celebrating not only the first coming (Advent) of Jesus Christ some 2,000 years ago but also anticipating and waiting for his second coming or second Advent. And thirdly, I also explained to them that we were also celebrating the fact that he has already come and is with us and one of us through the Holy Spirit! Through the Holy Spirit he is renewing our minds and  transforming us to become like him.

Jesus is Immanuel

I then explained the Christmas message that Jesus is Immanuel. In one of his books, Thomas F. Torrance opened my eyes to the truth that there were two names given to the promised Messiah that was to come. He was to be called 1) Jesus which means “the God who saves” and he was also to be called 2) Immanuel which means “God with us.” In other words the phrase, “Jesus is Immanuel” means “The God who saves” is “God with us!” He is not far away billions of galaxies away and looking at us from a distance. He is with us and one of us! That is the Christmas message according to Torrance. I knew about these two names but I didn’t realize its significance until Torrance showed it to me.

As we celebrate this season, let us give thanks to God the Father for giving  us Jesus Christ. Let us also rejoice in the fact that Jesus did come (first advent), Jesus will come again (second coming or advent) and let’s not forget that Jesus has come into our lives right now and is with us and one of us even right now!

Updated: December 3, 2019

When the Word became flesh, the greatest miracle happened some 2,000 years ago. God became flesh. This is Christ’s incarnation and it changed everything. Theologians call this as the hypostatic union — that is, the union of humanity and divinity in the one person (hypostasis) of Jesus Christ. This event implicated and involved humanity. We have been included into God’s life and love. He reconciled us to himself. He assumed all of humanity unto himself.

By becoming one of us and one with us through his incarnation, all humanity is now forever united or in union with our Lord Jesus Christ — through his hypostatic union.

While we were still sinners—even before we repented of and asked for forgiveness of our sins, Christ already died and paid for all of humanity’s sins—past, present and future. He assumed all of our sins and died for it (Romans 5:8). He did not even ask for our permission whether we would like to be included or not. Out of his great love, he just did it and died for all of us (2 Corinthians 5:14). This is Christ’s crucifixion. Both the incarnation and the crucifixion involved Christ’s atonement for all. As our High Priest and representative, he atoned for all of our sins on our behalf once for all (Hebrews 7:27; 9:12, 26). Thus we are now “at one” with God through him. We now have atonement or reconciliation with him (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). We now have union with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Already Reconciled

This is an accomplished fact which many are unaware of or haven’t really fully realized yet. We need to think deeply and meditate on the implications of what Paul is saying in Romans 5:8. This is already true. It did not become true because of or as a result of our help, our good works, our consent or our belief. Belief doesn’t make it true or make it happen. It is not “potentially true” if we believe. It is already true!

Since the fact that we are now in union with Christ is already true (not if it is true), what about these passages in Isaiah 59:2 and other similar passages like in John 5:24 that seem to show that we are separated (not in union) with Christ now? Well, both Isaiah 59:2 and John 5:24 are also true but we have to understand it in light of who Jesus Christ is and who we are in him. It does not disagree with what is already true in Jesus Christ for us. We need to see the overall context of Scripture—”the whole counsel of God” found in the Bible.

We have to understand that in the first place, God has never abandoned us nor separated himself from us. God has always loved us. It is us—our own doing—that is causing the “separation” due to our sins. But really, if you think about it more deeply, has God really separated himself from us in such a way that he is no longer reachable? When Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, was God no longer available? Of course not. God is always available all the time for us. He is God with us and one of us.

We only think that we are separated from God. Our sins have clouded our vision and we think God no longer loves us. Sin does make us feel guilty so we hide ourselves from God. But God has always been there for us. It is only in our minds. As Paul explained to the Colossians, he said, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior” (Colossians 1:21).

Only in Your Minds

That is only in our thinking—in our minds (Col. 1:21). The truth and present reality is that God—in His mind, from His point of view—has already forgiven us and he died for us while we were still sinners! (Rom. 5:8). God has reconciled us back to himself. We are not separated from him. In so far as God is concerned, we have already been forgiven and in union with Christ through his hypostatic union. Separation is only in our minds. We think we are separated from God. It is us who have separated ourselves from God. But in so far as God is concerned, he was, is and has always been there for us. He never abandoned us since the Garden of Eden.

The truth of the matter is that St. Paul said, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.” Even in “hell” (or whatever you may call this place) God will be there (Rev. 14:10).

The only difference is that we humans think we are still separated from him because of our sins. That’s not who God is! He loves us similar to the father in the parable of the lost son who patiently and eagerly waited for the lost son’s return. That is what we need to repent of, change our mind about. Let us all repent (change our minds—Greek, metanoia) and believe that we have always been loved, never abandoned and now in union with him through Christ—not separated at all!

Christ’s life, death, resurrection and ascension changed everything. We are now in union with Christ. At the resurrection, we await for that future time when the final fulfillment of our union with Christ will have been fully accomplished—complete at-one-ment with Christ forever! What a great hope we have in Jesus!

Related Article:

• Incarnational Ministry
• Q & R with Brad: Doesn’t Isaiah 59 teach “separation” from God?