Q.29. How are we made to take part in the redemption Christ bought?

A. We take part in the redemption Christ bought when the Holy Spirit effectively applies it to us.

After Jesus fed the five thousand, the crowds are following Him around, seeking to get Him to do more miracles for their entertainment. They try to goad Him into it by pointing out that Moses gave manna, and that proved his authority. Hint, hint.

John 6:35-40

³⁵ Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. ³⁷ All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. ³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. ⁴⁰ For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Jesus takes this conversation in a different direction. Rather than giving them more food, as they desired, Jesus instead talks to them about God’s soverienty in salvation, and our personal responsibility.

What are we supposed to do? Go to the one who offers the bread of life (verse 35). Jesus proclaims to them that He is “the bread of life”. If we come to Him, and trust in Him for salvation, He will meet our ultimate spiritual need to be made right with God, and we will never hunger or thirst spiritually again (verse 35). Jesus tells us that we must believe upon Him and Him only for our salvation. That is what we must do.

But many do not believe in Him savingly (verse 36). Why? Because they were not given by the Father (verse 37). There are specific people who will respond in faith to the preaching of the Gospel. They are the people the Father has given to the Son, referred to as the elect. And Jesus promises that He will not lose any of these people (verse 39).

But notice that Jesus also promises that everyone who trusts Him for their salvation will be saved (verse 40).

Jesus is saying that God is sovereign in salvation, as in all other areas of life. God’s providence does not stop when we come to the topic of salvation.

Yet, at the same time, we are commanded to come to Him and trust Him only for our salvation. Everyone who comes to God in faith, trusting in His provision for their salvation will be saved. But only those within whom God is working will respond with this saving faith.

So how are we saved? We are saved as God works within our lives to bring us to saving faith so that we respond with saving faith to His call.