WHO BELONGS TO CHRIST?

The answer is those who have His Life,

As He is the only Life that exists.

God alone is Life,

There is No Life apart from Him.

Listen to Christ Jesus explain this:

53 'I assure you, most solemnly I tell you,

You cannot have any Life in yourselves

Unless you Eat the flesh of the Son of Man

And Drink His blood--

Unless you Appropriate His Life

And [the saving merit of] His blood.

54 He who Feeds on My flesh

And Drinks My blood has (possesses now) Eternal Life;

AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP

[FROM THE DEAD] ON THE LAST DAY.

55 For My flesh is True and genuine Food;

And My blood is True Drink.

56 He who Feeds on My flesh

And Drinks My blood dwells continually in Me,

And I [in like manner dwell continually] in him.

57 Just as the Living Father sent Me,

And I live by (through, because of) the Father,

Even so whoever continues to Feed on Me--

Who take Me for his Food

And is Nourished by Me--

Shall [in his turn] live Through and Because of Me.

58 This is the Bread which came down from Heaven.

It is not like the manna

Which our forefathers ate and yet Died.

HE WHO TAKES THIS BREAD FOR HIS FOOD

SHALL LIVE FOREVER.

59 He said these things in a synagogue

While He was Teaching at Capernaum.

60 When His Disciples heard this,

Many of them said,

This is a Hard and Difficult and Strange saying--

AN OFFENSIVE AND UNBEARABLE MESSAGE.

WHO CAN STAND TO HEAR IT?--

WHO CAN BE EXPECTED TO LISTEN TO SUCH TEACHING?

61 But Jesus, knowing in Himself

That His Disciples were complaining

And Protesting and Grumbling about it,

Said to them:

IS THIS A STUMBLING BLOCK AND AN OFFENSE TO YOU?--

DOES THIS UPSET AND DISPLEASE

AND SHOCK AND SCANDALIZE YOU?

62 What then[will be your reaction]

If you should see the Son of Man Ascending

To the Place where He was before?

63 IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT GIVES LIFE--

HE IS THE LIFE-GIVER;

THE FLESH CONVEYS NO BENEFIT WHATEVER--

THERE IS NO PROFIT IN IT.

THE WORDS (TRUTHS)

THAT I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO YOU

ARE SPIRIT AND LIFE.

64 BUT [STILL] SOME OF YOU FAIL TO BELIEVE

AND TRUST AND HAVE FAITH.

For Jesus knew from the first

Who did not believe and had No Faith,

And who would Betray Him and be False to Him.

65 And He said,

THIS IS WHY I TOLD YOU

THAT NO ONE CAN COME TO ME

UNLESS IT IS GRANTED HIM--

UNLESS HE IS ENABLED TO DO SO--

BY THE FATHER.

66 After this Many of His Disciples Drew Back--

Returned to their old Associations--

And no longer accompanied Him.

67 Jesus said to the Twelve,

WILL YOU ALSO GO AWAY?

AND DO YOU TOO DESIRE TO LEAVE ME?

68 Simon Peter answered,

LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO?

YOU HAVE THE WORDS (THE MESSAGE) OF ETERNAL LIFE.

69 AND WE HAVE LEARNED TO BELIEVE AND TRUST;

AND [MORE,] WE HAVE COME TO KNOW [SURELY]

THAT YOU ARE THE CHRIST,

THE ANOINTED ONE,

THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.

(John 6:53-69)