For My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.
The sixth chapter of John is one of the most familiar passages in the New Testament. It starts with Christ feeding the 5,000 and includes one of the seven "I am" statements. Christ declares, "I am the bread of life," Who comes to feed the multitude (John 6:35). The chapter concludes with many disciples deserting Him. The declarations of Christ and his teaching proved too difficult for many, just as it does today.
John 6:40 is one of the most important passages in the New Testament. The verse has proven to be an essential evangelistic message preached throughout the world. It's a simple statement about the will of the Father, our salvation, and our eternal purpose in Christ.
Many of us have periods of struggle with faith, belief in the Bible, and our eternal destiny after this life. We often rebel or reject the Word of God. The Lord knows this and has planned for humanity's problem and disobedience. Jesus is simply saying that God, our Father, wants his children back. This is reflected wonderfully in the parable of the Prodigal or Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32). Though we have strayed or fallen away from Him, His eternal purpose is to reclaim us. Christ wasn't a backup plan to get us back to the Father, but the eternal plan to join us in fellowship with the Triune God. That's comforting to know that from all eternity there was a plan to keep us united to and with God.
There are a lot of people in the world and even within the Church that think God wants to punish them, but Christ is declaring that God is throwing the doors of Heaven open to those who believe in the Son. The amazing thing about Christ is that he is not relaying this message as something he was told by a messenger or something he read, but he is Himself from Heaven.
Another one of Christ's "I am" statements is when He declares that He is the "resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). As creator and sustainer, He has the power to give life and raise the dead. The resurrection is not just an event but it's a person. Christ has already raised us up with Him. He has clothed Himself in our humanity and united Himself to us. At our death, He promises to raise us up physically, so we can be eternally included in the life of the Triune God. John 6:40 is wonderful news, and it's a great verse to return to and meditate upon when we experience fear or doubt. Never forget, it is simply the will of the Father to be with us.
