"‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. And He was saying, ‘For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.’" John 6:64-65

Here, Jesus was repeating what He had said in verse 44. In verse 44 Jesus was explaining why many of His disciples were about to leave Him after hearing the truth that He was the true Manna sent from heaven and that they must eat His flesh and drink His blood. Of course, Jesus was referring to the Passover symbols of the bread and the wine which would represent His body and His blood but He knew that His followers would take His statement literally and become offended. This is what is taking place between verse 44 and verses 64 and 65.

It’s interesting that Jesus allowed them to take it literally and made no effort to clarify what He meant. It’s as though He was testing them to see if they would stay - but more like He was flushing out those who He knew had not been drawn to Him by the Father.

I have experienced this myself from time to time, though unlike Jesus, I don’t always know who God has sent to me to shepherd or who the devil has planted, -or who is just there on their own. Sometimes during a sermon the Spirit of Christ moves me to say something that could easily offend.

Oftentimes, people ask me if I was referring to them, but I never know at the time and wonder myself exactly what God is doing. But I yield to Him, because it is His Church, the sheep are His Heritage, and I am but an under shepherd ordained to serve them as He directs. My job is to serve His sheep not those whom He has not called and chosen, but only He knows who they are. Jesus said, -"I am the Good Shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me."

 

In Matthew 13 Jesus gave the parable of the sower who went forth sowing seed in his field. Some seeds fell by the roadside, some on rocky soil, some among thorns and some in good soil. He defined the seed as the Word of God and the field as the world. The Word that was sown by the roadside found no root and was quickly snatched up by the enemy. The Word that fell on rocky soil sprung up quickly but wilted in the hot sun since it had shallow roots. These are those who begin a walk in Christ but when persecution comes they fall away. The Word that fell among thorns came up but was choked out by the thorns and died. These are those who begin a walk in Christ but succumb to the worries of the world. But those who hear the Word and act upon it are the ones rooted in good soil and produce fruit for the Lord of the Harvest.

God’s first-fruits were chosen before the foundation of the world. God desires for all people to repent and receive salvation, but only the first-fruits are predestined as the bride of Christ, a holy priesthood and the Administration of God. He already knows who they are and they are those who He grants permission to come to Christ at this time. "He (Father) chose us in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love, He predestined us as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will." (Eph.1)