To Whom Shall We Go?

Do you recall who said those words to the Master? It was one of Jesus’ apostles. Our Lord had just finished His brilliant discourse about the bread of life in a synagogue in Capernaum (John 6:59).The Bible says,“From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68).

Jesus is the only One through Whom salvation is available (Acts 4:12). God wants all people everywhere to “hear” His beloved Son (Matthew 17:5). The Christ alone has all authority (Matthew 28:18). It is through the Son that the Father calls and instructs us today (Hebrews 1:1-2).

When Simon Peter asked, “Lord, to whom shall we go?”, he was not seeking information or advice. Peter knew that only our Lord has the words that provide eternal life. Thus, Peter’s question was really a declaration of the truth that there is no one else to whom we might turn for spiritual guidance that is helpful and reliable 100% of the time. Despite this plain truth, many today, as in yesteryear, instead of turning to the saving Gospel of the Christ and accepting it as their standard of authority in religion (Romans 1:16), turn elsewhere.

Some turn or go to their preacher. Of all people, surely a preacher would know what he is talking about. Surely a preacher would not lead anyone astray. Such thinking is gullible to the nth degree. The New Testament speaks about “false prophets” (Matthew 7:15), “false teachers” (2 Peter 2:1), and “deceivers” (2 John 7). Despite the Bible’s plain warnings, many close their eyes and happily follow anything that preachers propagate. Folks, what preachers say, even wellknown, well-liked, well-educated and well-versed-in-the-Scriptures preachers, are not our guide. Jesus alone has all authority!

Some turn or go to their parents. God tells children to obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1-2). It is certainly refreshing to see grown children who still show respect for their father and mother. There is too little of that in our society in modern times. That being said, when it comes to making decisions in the spiritual realm, dad and mom are not the voices of authority! Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, was her son’s counselor “to do wickedly” (2 Chronicles 22:3).

It is a natural thing for people to wonder what their parents might think about a certain matter, but in the end, Jesus must have the final say. We respect our parents and appreciate any effort they have made which has benefitted us in our spiritual training, but right and wrong is determined by what God’s Son says, not by our flesh and blood. That can be a difficult truth to accept, but accept it we must if we want to please the King of kings.

Some turn or go to the internet. The internet is a mind-boggling phenomenon. It has incredible potential to bless our lives by the information that is available on it. In the past, we have taken many excellent articles from the internet and printed them for other’s benefit. On the other hand, though, is the reality that the internet also openly makes available immoral and false messages of every sort. It is a disastrous approach for one to assume that anything found on the internet is of spiritual benefit! Just as one would want to do with written materials, messages on TV or radio or recorded lessons, he must be careful in what he reads and consumes from the internet. All messages and messengers, including those on the internet, must be tried and tested. We must ask, do they harmonize with what God’s Book says (1 John 4:1)?

Some turn or go to their favorite preaching school or college. The church has been blessed in this generation by the efforts of some preaching schools and some institutions of higher learning that brethren have founded. Sadly, many of them have not stuck with the Bible. Yet, to hear some tell it, when any question arises, you have to line up with and fall in line with what your favorite school says about it. That is garbage! Our allegiance is to no mere mortal or anything identified as a “school.” Jesus has the words of life, and our greatest concern must be to learn and apply what He says about any topic!

You and I sincerely appreciate everything that any person has done that has helped us learn and obey God’s truth. Perhaps we have been aided personally by preachers, parents, the internet or schools. Our devotion, however, must not be to humans or human devices, but to the risen Lord.

“To whom shall we go?” To the Giver of the words of eternal life is the answer. May God help us to engrain such thinking into the hearts of our offspring. 

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