John 6:63 KJV
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Up to this point in the ministry of Christ, His following was huge. Thousands of people came to see and hear Him. But Jesus said they only came for the food and not because of the miracles. In other words, they did not believe He was the Son of God, they just believed they could benefit from hanging around Him. Jesus was not interested in attracting large crowds of people though. His concern was only for the soul and the soul, in order to be saved, had to trust Christ as the Christ.
Our world is filled, I think, with the same problem that we find in this chapter. We have congregations filled with people who only come for the personal benefit. They have been taught to stroke their "What's in it for me?" flesh. It might begin with the personal benefit being "heaven instead of hell" but even that, for them, isn't built upon a sound foundation. And these followers will all eventually fall away when the benefits to them dry up.
The only sure reason to follow Christ is revealed by the apostles. The reason we follow Christ is merely because He has the "words of eternal life." We follow Christ because we believe and are sure that He is Christ.
Now here is the thing; Jesus said "It is the Spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing...." There is no amount of logic, reason or salesmanship that can quicken the soul. The best that human flesh can ever do is gather a crowd based upon some sort of selfish motive. Jesus was content to let the crowd go away, not willing to stroke the flesh but minister instead to those whom the Spirit had quickened.
A tougher road to be sure, but one that really does have eternal rewards!
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Up to this point in the ministry of Christ, His following was huge. Thousands of people came to see and hear Him. But Jesus said they only came for the food and not because of the miracles. In other words, they did not believe He was the Son of God, they just believed they could benefit from hanging around Him. Jesus was not interested in attracting large crowds of people though. His concern was only for the soul and the soul, in order to be saved, had to trust Christ as the Christ.
Our world is filled, I think, with the same problem that we find in this chapter. We have congregations filled with people who only come for the personal benefit. They have been taught to stroke their "What's in it for me?" flesh. It might begin with the personal benefit being "heaven instead of hell" but even that, for them, isn't built upon a sound foundation. And these followers will all eventually fall away when the benefits to them dry up.
The only sure reason to follow Christ is revealed by the apostles. The reason we follow Christ is merely because He has the "words of eternal life." We follow Christ because we believe and are sure that He is Christ.
Now here is the thing; Jesus said "It is the Spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing...." There is no amount of logic, reason or salesmanship that can quicken the soul. The best that human flesh can ever do is gather a crowd based upon some sort of selfish motive. Jesus was content to let the crowd go away, not willing to stroke the flesh but minister instead to those whom the Spirit had quickened.
A tougher road to be sure, but one that really does have eternal rewards!
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