These two verses really establish a fundamental truth. When we read Scripture, we often include mental "add-ons," "qualifiers," or “yeah, buts” to the verse which has the effect of draining it of the liberty and freedom contained within.  But the Lord eventually draws us to this glorious truth.  His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. It doesn’t say that “our secular ways are not His ways” or “our sinful thoughts are not His thoughts.”

It makes a categorical and absolute statement: that all of our human ways, no matter how good and righteous we think they may be, are NOT God’s divine ways.  We think we are in partnership with God, but His way is different. We are not a partner in our spiritual transformation, but the object being transformed by God. We are but vessels of mercy to contain His glory and nothing more.

We eventually read and trust God’s Word for exactly what it says and we begin to experience true freedom in Christ.  Scripture declares from cover to cover that He has done everything for us, and is working all things together for our good. He has done it all … He is all we need!

We will be looking deeper into John 12:37-40 to see three glorious things: First, WHY we can never convince anyone to be saved; Second, WHY God’s GRACE BASED salvation is such a great freedom for all of us; and Third, How God’s Word imparts to us—especially in difficult times—true peace, joy, and a quiet spirit.

Let me just say about the first point, that this is a wonderful freedom-truth for us.  I always thought it was my duty to preach the gospel and convince people into praying a salvation prayer.  If I wasn’t preaching enough during the week it would reflect on how little “fruit of the Spirit” I had in my life.  If I couldn’t convince them with a prescribed set of scripture verses, I would reason with them logically.  If that didn’t work, I would try to arm-twist them into believing through fear  or guilt.  You know what I mean.

But God has a different way!  And God’s way never fails.  His way always brings salvation, while at the same time, frees us from being responsible.

Tonight’s study will reveal what this means to us.

[Satellite Bible study groups may be different]

What a freedom this is, to know that: God has a will for us and He is personally working in us to bring us into alignment with His will (that is what "His good pleasure" means).  He is doing all of this IN us!  Scripture does not say that we bring ourselves into alignment with God’s will, but that God works His will in us.  And Philippians 1:6 encourages us to be confident in the fact that God is the one who started the work in us and will continue to perfect this work until the day that Jesus returns.   How awesome is that?

The Apostle Paul was the author of this verse under inspiration from God.  Paul was confident of something.  What was he so confident of?  That the very God who BEGAN a good work in us is also the one who WILL perfect that good work in us.  Does it say that He began the work, but it is up to us to perfect it?  NO!

Like Paul, we can have this same confidence, that God has begun a good work in us and it is God who is also perfecting that good work in us. He will do so right up to the day Christ returns.  There is nothing in this verse that assigns anything to us to do.

Take His example that we are sheep in His flock and He is our Shepherd.[2] Let that picture sink in for a moment.  Have you ever observed a flock of sheep doing anything for themselves?  The shepherd protects them from predators and danger.  He guides them to pasture, to water, and monitors what they eat.  He goes after them when they wander off.  He disentangles them when caught in thorny brambles.  He cares for them when they are sick.  He carries them across treacherous terrain.  He speaks to them, and they hear His voice, and they follow Him.[3] At the end of it all, He brings them into His sheepfold where they can rest under His protection.