The disciples in John 6 .....

and their reaction to the preaching of the Sovereignty of God in Salvation

Isn't it interesting how consistent the reaction is from people in the church when they hear about the sovereignty of God in salvation?   

We can see that Jesus even had the same reaction with the church/disciples that were following Him.  Look what happens when He starts to expound on the life giving work of God in salvation.


[60] When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” [61] But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? [62] Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? [63] It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. [64] But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)
[65] And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
[66] After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

In these verses Jesus tells us that it is God who gives life and grants the ability to come to Christ.  To paraphrase......"You have no power in yourself to do this.  Your flesh is corrupt and of no help at all in your spiritual life, v.63.  You have to deny your flesh and rely completely on the work of God, v.65.  Yet, you are still held accountable for your unbelief, v64."  And look what happens in verse 66 when Jesus preaches a monergistic view of salvation, many turned their back on the savior of the world and no longer walked with him.  What an outright, blatant, rejection of God!  Yet, is there any difference when people in churches today trade down from a Sovereign God to a God who responds to man's every "decision" and whim?  Many people in churches today will respond exactly like the disciples did in verse 66.  They walk away from the true God, and harden their hearts to the truth and the true God of the Bible. 
Do you think that these disciples in verse 66 became rank heathens and left the synagogue's? Or, do you think they went back to living their self-righteous lives and relying on their works to get them to heaven?
I would imagine that these disciples went right back under the yoke of works.  They went right back under the legalism and the law that was supposed to point them to Christ. 

This leaves me now with a profound question, "The people who walked away from this truth were false disciples.  Does that mean that this same truth when preached always divides the true disciples from the false disciples?  Do this mean that those who deny the sovereignty of God in salvation are turning their backs on Jesus?" 

Oh how I pray that many people in the church would come to a correct understanding of Justification.  Having a proper understanding of Justification will greatly increase your Sanctification.  When you finally understand the lengths that God went to save a wretched sinner like you, it will cause you to fall more on your face each day and want to serve Him.  The more you correctly understand Justification, the more you will submit yourself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 


p.s.
God's Word is so amazing.  He gives us an example of how He uses the truth to separate the wheat from the tares.  He does it through preaching the truth of His word. 
Here is a great clip from Dr. Erwin Lutzer about this very subject. 
http://www.archive.org/download/TheologyBitesPart15/Lutzer_doctrineDevides.mp3 
If you are a pastor, and you want to find out the "spiritual condition" of your congregation, then I would suggest that you preach all of the doctrine that is in the text.  Go deep and pull out all of the meat from the Bible and serve it to your sheep.  The goats will hate the taste of it, but the sheep will praise God for it and glorify Him.