Does John 6:35-40 teach "Once Saved, Always Saved"?

Is it possible to "lose" your salvation? Maybe you've heard the phrase, "once saved, always saved," also known as "eternal security" or "the perseverance of the saints." It's a staple in Calvinist theology, and one text often pointed to in support of the doctrine is John 6:35-40. 

But is that really what this text is about? Is that really what Jesus was teaching, particularly when we get to the end of the "bread of life" discourse, we actually see several who'd been following Jesus leave, unable to accept his teaching that to accept this "bread of life" they must eat his flesh and drink his blood? 

 To begin to wrap our minds around what Jesus is talking about in these verses we need to look at it in context.  Let's consider a few questions that might put you into the mind of Jesus' original hearers.

Have you ever felt a hunger that no food could satisfy, a thirst that no drink could quench? In a world overflowing with options, from material possessions to fleeting experiences, a profound spiritual emptiness can often linger, a quiet ache for something more, something lasting. We pursue fulfillment in myriad ways, yet the soul's deepest cravings often remain. It is into this very human predicament that the words of Jesus in John 6, speak with startling clarity, offering not a temporary fix, but an eternal solution.

The backdrop is a crowd still buzzing from the miracle of the loaves and fishes. They had their fill of earthly bread, a tangible sign of Jesus' power. Yet, Jesus quickly pivots their attention from the perishable to the permanent, from the bread that sustains the body for a day to the "food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you" (Jn 6:27). This dialogue culminates in one of the most audacious and life-altering declarations ever uttered: "I am the bread of life." Our focus, John 6:35-40, invites us to explore the depths of this claim and the divine promise it enfolds. As we journey through these verses, we encounter the immense grace of God, His sovereign initiative in our salvation, and Christ’s unbreakable promise to those who come to Him and remain in Him. These words do not offer a simplistic guarantee detached from ongoing faith, but rather call us into a dynamic, life-giving relationship with the true Manna from heaven, a relationship sustained by His unfailing grace and our continued trust.

Verse-by-Verse Exegesis and Theological Reflection

John 6:35: "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.'"

Jesus’ momentous pronouncement, Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς (Egō eimi ho artos tēs zōēs), "I AM the bread of life," echoes with divine authority. The phrase "Ἐγώ εἰμι" (Egō eimi), "I AM," is not merely a statement of existence; it is a direct allusion to the sacred name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush, YHWH, often rendered "I AM WHO I AM" (Exod 3:14). By employing this formula, Jesus asserts His divinity, His co-equality with the Father. He is not just one source of spiritual nourishment among many; He is the definitive, divinely appointed Bread. This bread is explicitly "τῆς ζωῆς" (tēs zōēs) – "of life," specifically, eternal life. Unlike the manna in the wilderness, which sustained physical life only temporarily before those who ate it eventually died (Jn 6:49), Jesus, as this heavenly Bread, imparts a life that transcends death and endures into eternity.

The promise that unfolds from this declaration is twofold and profoundly comforting: "whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." The Greek grammar here is rich with meaning. ὁ ἐρχόμενος πρὸς ἐμὲ (ho erchomenos pros eme) – "the one coming to me" – employs the present active participle ἐρχόμενος (erchomenos). This tense does not denote a single, completed act of coming, but rather a continuous, habitual movement towards Christ, a life characterized by this orientation. It speaks of a persistent drawing near. Similarly, ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ (ho pisteuōn eis eme) – "the one believing in me" – uses the present active participle πιστεύων (pisteuōn), signifying an active, ongoing trust and reliance upon Jesus. This is not a faith that is ignited once and then left to itself; it is a living, breathing confidence that actively engages with its object, Christ.

The results of this continuous coming and believing are stated with powerful double negatives, lending them extraordinary emphasis: οὐ μὴ πεινάσῃ (ou mē peinasē) – "shall absolutely not hunger," and οὐ μὴ διψήσῃ πώποτε (ou mē dipsēsē pōpote) – "shall absolutely not thirst at any time ever." The hunger and thirst Jesus speaks of are not physical but spiritual – the soul's deep yearning for reconciliation with God, for righteousness, for meaning, for true peace. Only Christ, the Bread of Life, can fully and finally satisfy these profound spiritual appetites.

This "coming" and "believing" are not achievements of human will or effort; they are the fruit of the Holy Spirit's work through the Word of God and the Sacraments. As Martin Luther articulated, "Faith is not an idle quality, but a living, busy, active, mighty thing" (Preface to the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans (1522), LW 35:370). It is this vibrant, active faith that continuously partakes of Christ. Therefore, the promise of satisfaction is conditional upon this ongoing relationship. It is as long as one is "coming" and "believing" that this profound spiritual satiation is guaranteed. The very grammatical structure implies that the benefit is tied to the sustained act of faith.

John 6:36: "But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe."

Jesus then confronts the somber reality of His audience's spiritual state: ἀλλ’ εἶπον ὑμῖν ὅτι καὶ ἑωράκατέ [με] καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε (all’ eipon hymin hoti kai heōrakate [me] kai ou pisteuete). The verb ἑωράκατε (heōrakate), "you have seen," is in the perfect tense. This indicates an action completed in the past (they had indeed witnessed His signs, His person, His power) with results that continue into the present. The impact of what they saw was still with them. Yet, despite this visual evidence, their present spiritual condition is starkly contrasted: οὐ πιστεύετε (ou pisteuete), "you do not believe." The present tense here signifies their current, ongoing, and persistent state of unbelief.

This verse unveils a critical spiritual truth: empirical observation of divine acts, even seeing Jesus Himself, does not automatically generate saving faith. Miracles may astound, teachings may impress, but faith is ultimately a divine gift (Eph 2:8-9), worked by the Holy Spirit through the proclamation of the Gospel. The human heart, in its natural state, is inclined away from God, resistant to His truth. Without the illuminating and regenerating work of the Spirit, even the most compelling evidence can be met with a closed heart. This stands as a timeless caution against presuming that mere exposure to religious phenomena or even profound experiences will invariably lead to genuine, trusting faith. True faith is more than sensory perception; it is the heart's embrace of Christ and His promises, a reliance upon Him for life and salvation.

John 6:37: "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out."

This verse stands as a cornerstone for understanding God's sovereign grace in salvation and Christ's unwavering welcome. The first clause, Πᾶν ὃ δίδωσίν μοι ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς ἐμὲ ἥξει (Pan ho didōsin moi ho patēr pros eme hēxei), translates to "All that the Father gives me will come to me." The use of the neuter singular pronoun Πᾶν (Pan), meaning "all" or "everything," followed by the relative pronoun "ὃ" (ho - that which), is significant. It often points to the entire collective of those whom the Father, in His eternal counsel, has chosen and designated for salvation – the whole body of believers. The verb δίδωσίν (didōsin - gives) is in the present tense, suggesting either an ongoing action of God's giving or a timeless truth rooted in His eternal will. The certainty of this divine action finds its fulfillment in the future tense verb ἥξει (hēxei - will come): those whom the Father gives will indeed come to Christ. This powerfully affirms God's initiative, His elective grace that draws individuals to the Savior.

The second part of the verse offers a deeply personal and comforting assurance: καὶ τὸν ἐρχόμενον πρός με οὐ μὴ ἐκβάλω ἔξω (kai ton erchomenon pros me ou mē ekbalō exō) – "and the one coming to me I will absolutely not cast out." Notice again the present participle τὸν ἐρχόμενον (ton erchomenon - the one coming). It refers to any individual who is characterized by this continuous movement towards Christ, who is in the state of actively approaching Him. Christ’s promise, made emphatic by the double negative οὐ μή (ou mē – by no means, never ever), is resolute: He will under no circumstance reject, expel, or turn away anyone who maintains this posture of coming to Him in faith.

Does this verse support a notion of unconditional eternal security, where a past act of faith guarantees future salvation regardless of a person's subsequent life or belief? While it profoundly declares God's sovereign grace in drawing His elect and Christ's absolute commitment to welcoming and receiving those who come, its direct promise is to "the one coming." The assurance is for those who are presently and continuously oriented towards Christ in faith. Scripture consistently affirms God's unwavering commitment to His elect (Rom 8:28-39), yet it also issues solemn warnings about the importance of enduring in faith and the grave possibility of falling away from that faith (Heb 6:4-6; 1 Tim 4:1; Lk 8:13). God's promises are sure for those who abide in Christ; He will never be the one to initiate a separation. The welcome is perpetual for the seeking heart. The fault will never lie with Christ if one is lost; His arms are ever open to the one who is coming.

John 6:38: "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me."

Jesus here elucidates the divine imperative driving His entire mission: ὅτι καταβέβηκα ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐχ ἵνα ποιῶ τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με (hoti katabebēka apo tou ouranou ouch hina poiō to thelēma to emon alla to thelēma tou pempsantos me). The verb καταβέβηκα (katabebēka - I have come down) is in the perfect tense, signifying His completed descent from the heavenly realm, His incarnation, an event with permanent and ongoing consequences. His purpose (introduced by ἵνα - hina, denoting purpose or result) is explicitly stated: not to carry out His own autonomous will, as if He were a separate agent with a distinct agenda, but to perfectly execute the will of the Father who sent Him. This highlights not only Christ's divine authority, delegated by the Father, but also His perfect, voluntary obedience. Within the mystery of the Trinity, there is a unity of will and purpose. The Son, in His incarnate state, lives in perfect submission to and harmony with the Father's design, which, as the following verses reveal, is the salvation of humankind.

John 6:39: "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."

This verse brings the Father's will into sharper focus, specifically concerning the destiny of those entrusted to the Son: τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκέν μοι μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ (touto de estin to thelēma tou pempsantos me, hina pan ho dedōken moi mē apolesō ex autou, alla anastēsō auto en tē eschatē hēmera). Once more, we encounter the phrase "πᾶν ὃ δέδωκέν μοι" (pan ho dedōken moi – all that He has given me), where δέδωκέν (dedōken - has given) is in the perfect tense, indicating the Father’s completed act of giving this collective group (the elect) to the Son, an act with enduring implications. Christ's divine task is to ensure that He "should lose nothing" (μὴ ἀπολέσω - mē apolesō). This is an aorist subjunctive of ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi), meaning to lose, destroy, or allow to perish. Christ's mission is to prevent any part of this precious, Father-given whole from being lost. The ultimate and glorious culmination of this divine preservation is that He will "raise it up (αὐτό - auto, the neuter pronoun referring back to the collective πᾶν - pan, 'all that has been given') on the last day." This clearly points to the future bodily resurrection and glorification of all true believers, the final triumph over sin and death.

This is a powerful affirmation of Christ's preserving power and His fidelity to the Father's plan. He is utterly committed to the ultimate salvation of those given to Him. However, this divine preservation is not a mechanical process that operates irrespective of a believer's living faith. The "given ones" are precisely those who, through the Spirit's work, respond to God's gracious call and persevere in that faith until the end. Scripture is replete with calls to vigilance, to hold fast to the confession of hope, and warnings that one can indeed receive God's grace in vain (2 Cor 6:1) or, having once believed, can later "fall away" (Lk 8:13). God’s desire is for all to be saved (1 Tim 2:4), and He offers His grace universally. Yet, the reason some are not ultimately saved is not a deficiency in God's will or Christ's power, but rather the tragic reality of human resistance to or abandonment of that grace. Christ's promise is to lose none of those who are His – understood as those who remain in vital union with Him through faith. If an individual, by their own volition, chooses to sever that bond of faith, they tragically place themselves outside the sphere of this specific promise of individual preservation, even as God's overarching purpose for His Church, the collective "all that He has given," remains infallibly secure.

John 6:40: "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 now further clarifies and personalizes the Father's will, making the path to eternal life unmistakably clear: τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός μου, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ θεωρῶν τὸν υἱὸν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ (touto gar estin to thelēma tou patros mou, hina pas ho theōrōn ton huion kai pisteuōn eis auton echē zōēn aiōnion, kai anastēsō auton en tē eschatē hēmera). Here, the focus shifts from the collective "all" (πᾶν) in verse 39 to the individual "everyone" (πᾶς ὁ – pas ho, masculine singular, "everyone who"). The conditions for obtaining eternal life are twofold: "who looks on the Son" (θεωρῶν τὸν υἱὸν - theōrōn ton huion) and "believes in him" (πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν - pisteuōn eis auton). Both verbs, θεωρῶν (theōrōn - looking, beholding, contemplating) and πιστεύων (pisteuōn - believing), are present active participles. This indicates not a fleeting glance or a one-time intellectual assent, but a continuous, deliberate beholding of the Son – recognizing Him for who He is – coupled with an ongoing, active trust and reliance upon Him.

This sustained looking and believing results in the present possession of eternal life: "should have eternal life" (ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον - echē zōēn aiōnion). The subjunctive mood (ἔχῃ - echē) expresses the purpose and certain outcome of the Father's will for those who meet these conditions. Eternal life is not merely a future hope but a present reality for the believer, a new quality of life that begins now and extends into eternity. And once again, the promise culminates in Christ's personal commitment: "and I will raise him up on the last day" (καὶ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ - kai anastēsō auton en tē eschatē hēmera). The "him" (αὐτὸν - auton, masculine singular) refers back to "everyone who" looks and believes, affirming individual resurrection and glory for each true believer. This verse beautifully synthesizes divine sovereignty and human response: the Father’s will provides the way, the Son is the way, and the individual’s continuous looking and believing is the means by which this eternal life and future resurrection are received and assured.

Summary: Sustenance for the Soul's Deepest Hunger

Life often feels like a search for something that will truly satisfy. We invest our time, energy, and hearts in pursuits that promise fulfillment, yet an underlying restlessness can remain. Jesus, in these powerful words from John 6, steps into this universal human quest and declares Himself to be the ultimate answer: "I am the bread of life." He offers not a temporary fix for superficial cravings, but profound, lasting nourishment for the very core of our being.

To "come" to Jesus and "believe" in Him, as these verses describe, isn't about a single past event but a continuous orientation of our lives towards Him. It's about actively trusting, continually drawing near, and persistently looking to Him as the source of all spiritual vitality. When we do this, Jesus promises something extraordinary: our deepest spiritual hunger will be satisfied, and our most profound spiritual thirst will be quenched, not just once, but continually. He assures us that He will never turn away anyone who comes to Him in this way.

This is the Father's own loving will – that everyone who keeps their gaze fixed on the Son, trusting in His identity and His work, should possess a life that death cannot touch, a life that is eternal. And this life culminates in the magnificent promise that Christ Himself will raise them up on the last day. While God's grace is the source and Christ's work is the foundation of our salvation, our ongoing faith—itself a gift—is the hand that receives and holds fast to these promises. The assurance is not in ourselves or our ability to hold on, but in Christ’s firm grasp on those who abide in Him. He is the Bread that truly satisfies, the life that never ends, the Savior who never fails.