John 6:44  “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. (ESV)

My wife informs me, if only by implication, that if one writes a part one, there is implied a part 2. Of course, she’s right, and as usual, it kind of bugs me. Thank you Lord!

In part one, I said I wasn’t going to do a full blown exposition, and I did not, as per my intention. I have also said elsewhere I did not want this blog to become merely a personal journey. Well, that was a silly statement wasn’t it? How is it possible that I can speak or write on any passage of scripture, and remove all references of personal application or emotion, my own response to God’s Word?  How is it possible that I can write anything, and remove myself from it? It’s not. It’s just not possible, at least for me. Others may, I cannot. God has saved me.  That’s not something I can distance myself from for the sake of expressing any ‘profundity’ for the glory of blogdom.

In the first post, I made 2 simple observations:

1) “No one” literally means “not even one”, not one man, woman or thing. Nobody, including you and I.

2) “can” the word means to have the ability or power.

Now, I’ve sat under one of the finest preachers I’ve ever heard (my dad) my entire life, and I know there is a difference between authority and power. But we’re not talking about that here. We’re talking about ability.

Now most of you reading this, I have no doubt, are thinking ‘Yes we know this, what’s your point?”

My point is this. There is a vast difference between knowing doctrine and it being a reality in your life. You may have the 5 pts down like nobody’s business. You may be able to explain the doctrines of grace more elegantly than anyone. You may have the most popular blog in all of ‘Calvindom’ (ok, I made that up), but if it’s not a reality in your own life, it means nothing.

Now I am not consumed with what Ted Haggard is doing or saying, or what sinful apostasy is happening in the SBC, or the latest heretical statement of Rick Warren.  Not that we should ignore or shy from addressing these things.  I’m more concerned with my own sins and what God is doing within me. But know this. The most important thing to me when looking at this particular passage is being reminded of one thing God the Father wants all those He has given to the Son to know, and…remember!…you were saved by the electing love of the Father, and nothing else.

I know…you say you know that. What I’m asking today is that you remember it. Contemplate it. Meditate upon it. Don’t take it for granted anymore. Weep. If you’re truly in Christ, the Creator of all things, of heaven and earth, has saved you from His wrath to come upon all those who reject Him, and given you true life!!

Knowing we we’re dead, that we had no ability, that we had no hope, and that God has ‘dragged’ us to the cross, all for His own good pleasure and for our salvation, should we not be daily thankful?? How can we possibly be as cold as we so often are, knowing this great truth that He has so lovingly revealed to us through His Word?

The nature of sin is so very great that, I think, as Christians, we sometimes forget the miracle of God moving first, and the realization of our not knowing how heinous sin is.

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.  And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses…” (ESV)

Ezekiel 36:25-29