Human Inability

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John 6:41-51

The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.…

I. MAN'S INABILITY. Wherein does this consist?

1. Not in any physical defect. If in coming to Christ moving the body should be any assistance, or includes the utterance of a prayer, man can come.

2. Nor in any mental lack. Man can believe in the Bible and in Christ as in anything else. But —

3. In his nature, which is so debased by the Fall that it is impossible for him to come without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. To enter into the subject of this inability note —

(1) It lies in the obstinacy of the human will, which is set on mischief and disinclined to that which is good.

(2) The understanding is darkened so that it cannot perceive the things of God until opened by the Holy Spirit.

(3) The affections are depraved and must be renewed. We love that we ought to hate, and hate that we ought to love.

(4) Conscience has been impaired by the Fall, and must be repaired.

4. So that while largely this is a question of the will, it is not exclusively so, for sometimes even in the regenerate there is will without power, much more in those who are dead in trespasses and sins.

5. Were it otherwise, how are we to account for the uniform testimony of the Scriptures that our salvation is wholly due to God?

6. This doctrine is condemned for its hurtful tendency. But what doctrine is there that will not hurt a man if he chooses to make hurt of it? So with this otherwise it only hurts Satan's kingdom.

7. You are not warranted in saying, "If I cannot save myself and cannot come to Christ, I must sit still and do nothing." There are many things you can do.

(1)  To be found continually in the house of God is in your power.

(2)  To study the Word of God.

(3)  To renounce outward sin.

(4)  To make your life honest, sober, righteous.

8. But your want of power is no excuse, seeing you have no desire to come, and are living in wilful rebellion. Suppose a liar has been a liar so long that he says he has no power to speak the truth, is that an excuse? Ii a drunkard has become so foully a drunkard that he cannot pass a public-house, do you therefore excuse him? No; because his inability to reform lies in his nature, which he has no desire to conquer.

II. THE FATHER'S DRAWINGS.

1. God draws men by the preaching of the gospel, but not by this alone, for the men of Capernaum had the gospel in its fulness, and attested by miracles. There is such a thing as being drawn by a minister without being drawn by God.

2. Clearly it is a Divine drawing, a sending out of the Third Person in the Holy Trinity.

3. In this there is no compulsion. Christ saves no one against his will.

4. How then does the Holy Spirit draw him? By making him willing. He goes to the secret fountain of the heart and he knows how, by some mysterious operation, to turn the will in an opposite direction. But he is saved with full consent, for he is made willing in the day of God's power. "Draw me and I will run after Thee."

5. How this is done is a mystery, but the apparent way is:(1) He finds a man with a good opinion of himself — an effectual barrier to coming to Christ — and lays bare,the man's heart, full of sin, so that he stands aghast.

(2) The man says I will try and reform — another barrier — but the Holy Spirit shows him he cannot do this.

(3) The heart sinks, and the man is ready to despair — then the Spirit shows him the Cross and enables him to believe.

III. APPLICATION:

1. One says, "If all this be true, what is to become of my religion? I must give it up and begin again." That will be better than building on the sand of your ability, and as soon as you say, "I cannot come to Christ; Lord draw me," grace is begun in your heart, and God will not leave you till the work is finished.

2. Careless sinner, thy salvation hangs in God's hand, and He is the Gad thou art grieving every day. Does not this make them tremble. If so the Spirit has begun to draw.

3. Some of you are conscious that you are coming to Christ. It is the Father's doing — "With lovingkindness have I drawn thee."

4. Rejoice in this love those of you who have come.

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