Daily devotion – A choice to be made.
Choice: A Mark of Spiritual Maturity
John 6:60–69
“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’”
—John 6:66–68
Our Lord’s teaching following the feeding of the multitude was not necessarily hard to understand—it was hard to accept once it was understood.
Many of those listening to Jesus were offended by His words. The idea of eating His flesh and drinking His blood caused them to stumble. The word translated offended carries the idea of being scandalised or caused to stumble.
But Jesus was not teaching that His followers were literally to eat His flesh and drink His blood. His teaching was spiritual and figurative.
Jesus explained:
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
—John 6:63
So what did Jesus mean?
We receive Christ and His life as we receive and believe the Word of God. John tells us:
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
—John 1:14
And Jesus said:
“He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life.”
—John 5:24
It is the receiving of God’s truth into our hearts and inner being.
Yet at this point, many who had followed Jesus made a choice. They turned away and returned to their old lives, their old religion, and ultimately their old hopeless condition.
Jesus was not surprised. He knew their hearts.
Then came a very personal question to the twelve:
“Do you also want to go away?”
Every follower of Jesus will, at some point, face that choice. What will we do when the teaching of God’s Word challenges us? When obedience is difficult? When the truth confronts something in our lives that we do not want to surrender?
Spiritual maturity is not measured by simply hearing the Word—it is seen when we choose to remain with Jesus and obey His Word, even when it is difficult.
Peter spoke for the twelve:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Peter got the message!
Where else could they go? Jesus alone had the words of eternal life. There was no better alternative. No old religion, no former lifestyle, and no path back into the world could offer what Christ alone could give.
The preaching of God’s Word always brings a sifting of hearts. It did then, and it does today.
God draws sinners to the Saviour through the power of His truth. Those who continually reject the Word will ultimately reject the Saviour. But those who receive the Word receive the Saviour and experience the wonder of the new birth and eternal life.
The question remains for each of us:
When God’s Word challenges us, what choice will we make?
Like Peter, may we mature in our faith and say:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”