John 6:37 Jesus says: "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out." The verse before this, Jesus said: "But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe." A very simple conclusion from John 6 is, if you believe that Jesus is the bread of Life that has come down from Heaven to bring Eternal Life to all who believe, and you'll go to Him - He will never cast you out." What does it mean to "COME TO" Jesus? The progression seams to be, first believe and then go. If we join this with Jesus' command to "repent and believe the Gospel"; first we have our mind changed in regard to our sin and God's Righteousness and then we believe the Gospel, we believe in Jesus and trust in Him to save us. That progression would lead us away from sin to to Jesus - if we truly believe we would "go to Jesus". This logical progression still doesn't answer what it means to "go to Jesus". As an analogy, my son is a pitcher. He has been trained by the same pitching coach since he was 10 years old - this winter will be his 7th year with the same pitching coach. If we didn't believe in what his coach taught, would it be logical to continue with him? Further more, if my son didn't follow his instruction, would I waste our time and money going to him? It would be illogical to go to a pitching coach that we didn't believe could help my son be a better pitcher, and it would be illogical for me to spend the time and money going to him if my son wasn't an obedient student - if my son didn't do what he was told. In the same way, if a person "believes" in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they will be obedient to His instruction - they will do what He says. The interesting thing is, Jesus doesn't give heavy loads to carry; He gives very basic instruction; such as, "leave your life of sin" (if you aren't sure what sin is, read His Word). He says, "be humble and meek, not prideful and arrogant". He says, "be content and generous, not greedy". He says, "give to those in need, and do so in secret". He says, "pray always, and do so in secret". He says, "be gentle and kind, not rude". He says, "deny self and don't insist on your own way." He says, "to love one another, do not harbor bitterness or jealousy". Living your life in obedience to Jesus isn't a checklist to review like task master would at the end of the day; it is evidence of our love and thanks for Him for saving you. Obedience and belief are two sides of the same coin. Unfortunately, many see their belief as a one sided get out of hell free card. Without obedience your "get out of hell free card" is as worthless as if you had no belief at all - it is what you see happening to those in Matthew 7. If we thought anyone was going to be saved wouldn't it seem logical that it would be those that did many MIGHTY works in the Name of Jesus. Wouldn't it be those that cast out demons in Jesus' Name. Surely there must be a special place in Heaven for those that "cast out demons" - isn't there? If you have ever doubted the seriousness of obedience, let the words of Jesus in Matthew 7 be a sobering wake up call: Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' As James says, "faith without works is dead" - but we can also see here, "belief without obedience is also dead".
