In John 6:35-40, Jesus makes four promises concerning the believer’s eternal security. Let’s go through them one by one.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger” (v 35a).

Jesus has just fed the 5,000, so food is on their minds, especially the bread He just miraculously supplied. But Jesus wanted to raise their consciousness to a higher level, so He used bread as a metaphor for the eternal life He gives to believers. Eating is a metaphor for believing. Jesus said that He is “the bread of life”—so eat! But there is a big difference between eating earthly bread and eating the bread of life. When you eat earthly bread, eventually you’ll get hungry again. People who think you can lose your salvation are in this situation. They believe you can “eat” and then “get hungry again.” But not Jesus. Jesus said that when you eat the bread of life you “will not hunger.” You will be spiritually full—forever. That’s because eternal life is eternal. It is forever.

“and he who believes in Me will never thirst” (v 35b).

Now Jesus uses another metaphor—drinking. He used that before. In John 4, Jesus told the Samaritan woman that after just one drink of the water of life she would never thirst again (John 4:14). Jesus is using the same language here. If you believe, your spiritual thirst will be satisfied forever. You’ll never thirst again. In other words, you are eternally secure. People who reject eternal security have to say it is possible for someone to believe in Jesus and then thirst again if they do something bad enough to lose their salvation. But if you can thirst again, that would negate Jesus’ promise. He said if you believe in Him you will “never thirst.” Never means never, because eternal life is eternal.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (v 37).

If Jesus’ language of never hungering again and never thirsting again is not clear enough for you, these next words should be. If you believe in Jesus you will not be “cast out.” That’s eternal security. Once you believe, you will never be cast out. But how many Christians who deny eternal security think they can be cast out? How many worry that they will? If so, listen to what Jesus promises here. If you come to Jesus in faith, you will not be cast out. In fact, Jesus certainly won’t cast you out. It’s a done deal. Your future is secure because eternal life is eternal.

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day” (v 39).

Here is another promise about the eternal security of the believer. If you come to Jesus in faith, you’ll never be lost. Or more proactively, Jesus will never lose you. It’s His job to keep you and He loses nothing. Nothing. If He loses no one who believes in Him, that means the believer is eternally secure. But how many Christians who deny eternal security think that Jesus loses a great many people? In fact, they think Jesus loses people all the time. But that’s directly contrary to what Jesus promised here. Listen to the Lord. What’s Jesus’ job? To lose nothing. That means you. Is Jesus good at His job? Of course! That means once you’re saved, you cannot be lost. Jesus won’t let it happen.

That’s four promises about eternal security.

This passage might be short on words, but the promises are everlasting!