7 November JOHN 6

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing

John 6:63-65(NIV) The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

The New Living Translation says in John 6:63(NLT) The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

The flesh profits nothing means there is absolutely no hope of salvation or any spiritual insight or gain that can be achieved through human effort.

Romans 7:18(ESV) For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.”

1 Corinthians 2:14(ESV) The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

The spiritual person can understand the Word of God and the things of God’s Spirit because he has “the mind of Christ”

1 Corinthians 2:15–16(CSB) The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, and yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone. 16 For who has known the Lord’s mind, that he may instruct him?, But we have the mind of Christ.

Human nature puts all its effort into achieving greatness for itself. Yet Jesus says that it all counts for nothing!

It is God's Spirit who brings people to new life in Christ.

The Spirit teaches us and enables us to hear the voice of God in the Scriptures. The Spirit has divine power and the wisdom which are lacking in human flesh, and He has authority from the Father to bring people to Jesus.