What does "No one can come to Me" reveal about human inability? Setting the Verse in Context John 6:44—“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” (See also John 6:65.) Spotlighting the Key Phrase: “No one can come” • “No one” is absolute—every individual is included. • “Can” speaks to ability, not merely permission. • “Come to Me” points to saving faith in Christ. Taken together, Jesus states that fallen humans lack the innate ability to approach Him savingly. Tracing the Roots of Human Inability • Born spiritually dead—Ephesians 2:1: “You were dead in your trespasses and sins.” Dead people cannot initiate life. • Darkened understanding—1 Corinthians 2:14: “The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God… he cannot understand them.” • Universal unrighteousness—Romans 3:10-12: “There is no one righteous… no one who seeks God.” • Bondage of the will—Romans 8:7-8: “The mind of the flesh is hostile to God… those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.” Why Inability Matters • It humbles human pride; salvation cannot be self-generated. • It magnifies divine grace; the initiative must come from God. • It clarifies evangelism; we proclaim Christ while relying on the Spirit’s work, not persuasive skill alone. God’s One-Sided Initiative • The Father “draws” (John 6:44) or “grants” (John 6:65) the ability to believe. • The Spirit gives life—John 3:5-8. • The Son secures and preserves—John 6:37-40. Practical Takeaways • Dependence—believers rest in God’s power for both conversion and growth. • Confidence—because salvation is God’s work, it cannot fail (Philippians 1:6). • Compassion—recognizing our own former inability fuels patience and persistence with unbelievers. Summary Statements • “No one can come to Me” exposes total human inability to approach Christ by natural power. • “Unless the Father… draws” announces supernatural grace that overcomes that inability. • Salvation, from start to finish, is of the Lord (Jonah 2:9). |
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