I was having a conversation with someone on Facebook regarding free will and predestination. One of the verses I used to justify the Biblical teaching of predestination and absolutely sovereignty was John 6:44. In some way, my "opponent" tried to force Matthew 11:27 into John 6:44, in an attempt to show how John 6:44 involved all people being drawn. Although he thought this was a correct exegesis of the context and examining the passage correctly, he actually proved my point that we do not have a free will. Here is what I said:
""Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;
Mat 11:26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
Mat 11:27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Mat 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
We immediately notice that Christ thanks the Father because He has "hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children" which shows that God can overcome any man's will to know God. I would also note that this passage says nothing about God hiding those things because they weren't willing or because they had hardened their own heart, or allowed them to not see it, it clearly says that God has hidden something from them. God actively did it, not allowed it. Verse 27 is a problem for free will, synergistic theology, because it's made clear that "no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.". It's an inability on our part to know God without Him doing something inside a man's heart. This text doesn't say that He makes Himself known to every individual, nor does it mention that these wise people did not receive Him because they reject Him or hardened their hearts. It says "the Son chooses to reveal Him".
The next verse, which you implied that Christ made an offering to every single individual, is a conditional statement. He said "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He is speaking to an audience, specifically to those who recognize that they are heavy laden and who labor, not every; single; individual. He clearly said it to certain people. All of who? "all who labor and are heavy laden". See where you added to the text? (in reference to whom I was speaking to) It's not every individual that ever or will ever live.
John 6:44 has nothing to do with this text anyways.
"Joh 6:39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
Joh 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."
Joh 6:41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."
Joh 6:42 They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"
Joh 6:43 Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves.
Joh 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.
Joh 6:45 It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me--
Joh 6:46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.
God's will is that Christ will lose nothing that He has given Him. Now, in order to move on be sure we are talking about the same God, we need to agree that God accomplishes His will, do you agree that God's will be done and that no one can stay His hand? If we agree to this, we can recognize that there are absolutes in this passage, such as verse 39 states. God's will is also "that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." Remember that part "raise him up on the last day" because it's synonymous with those who believe and look to the Son. Those who believe and look on the Son will be raised up on the last day.
Now, reading verse 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." Who can come to the Father? No one. Who will be raised up on the last day then? Verse 40, " that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." Will all who look on the Son be raised up, or just those who use their free will and stay within God's grace? "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day." Christ will lose none that the father has given Him, rather raise them up on the last day.
This isn't a solely New Testament teaching either, notice verse 45 says "It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me-- " This is a reference to Isaiah 54:13 " All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children." prophesying the work of God in His peoples heart. It is an act of God, accomplishing His purpose in the hearts of men. If I could emphasize something in these passages, notice the particularity within them. All these passages refer to people who believe, look to the Son, are taught by God and lifted up. The whole entire passage, just as Matthew 11, are all to specific groups of people and contain conditional statements, not everyone in general. That is why the drawing act of the Father and the lifting up in John 6:44 have nothing to do with Matthew 11."
""Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;
Mat 11:26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
Mat 11:27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Mat 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
We immediately notice that Christ thanks the Father because He has "hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children" which shows that God can overcome any man's will to know God. I would also note that this passage says nothing about God hiding those things because they weren't willing or because they had hardened their own heart, or allowed them to not see it, it clearly says that God has hidden something from them. God actively did it, not allowed it. Verse 27 is a problem for free will, synergistic theology, because it's made clear that "no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.". It's an inability on our part to know God without Him doing something inside a man's heart. This text doesn't say that He makes Himself known to every individual, nor does it mention that these wise people did not receive Him because they reject Him or hardened their hearts. It says "the Son chooses to reveal Him".
The next verse, which you implied that Christ made an offering to every single individual, is a conditional statement. He said "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He is speaking to an audience, specifically to those who recognize that they are heavy laden and who labor, not every; single; individual. He clearly said it to certain people. All of who? "all who labor and are heavy laden". See where you added to the text? (in reference to whom I was speaking to) It's not every individual that ever or will ever live.
John 6:44 has nothing to do with this text anyways.
"Joh 6:39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
Joh 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."
Joh 6:41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."
Joh 6:42 They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"
Joh 6:43 Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves.
Joh 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.
Joh 6:45 It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me--
Joh 6:46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.
God's will is that Christ will lose nothing that He has given Him. Now, in order to move on be sure we are talking about the same God, we need to agree that God accomplishes His will, do you agree that God's will be done and that no one can stay His hand? If we agree to this, we can recognize that there are absolutes in this passage, such as verse 39 states. God's will is also "that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." Remember that part "raise him up on the last day" because it's synonymous with those who believe and look to the Son. Those who believe and look on the Son will be raised up on the last day.
Now, reading verse 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." Who can come to the Father? No one. Who will be raised up on the last day then? Verse 40, " that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." Will all who look on the Son be raised up, or just those who use their free will and stay within God's grace? "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day." Christ will lose none that the father has given Him, rather raise them up on the last day.
This isn't a solely New Testament teaching either, notice verse 45 says "It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me-- " This is a reference to Isaiah 54:13 " All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children." prophesying the work of God in His peoples heart. It is an act of God, accomplishing His purpose in the hearts of men. If I could emphasize something in these passages, notice the particularity within them. All these passages refer to people who believe, look to the Son, are taught by God and lifted up. The whole entire passage, just as Matthew 11, are all to specific groups of people and contain conditional statements, not everyone in general. That is why the drawing act of the Father and the lifting up in John 6:44 have nothing to do with Matthew 11."
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