Answer:
God’s will is for every person to see who Jesus Christ is, believe in Him, be saved, receive eternal life, and share in the resurrection He has promised.
Explanation:
Many people spend their lives trying to understand what God wants from them. Some believe God requires strict religious performance. Others assume that they must earn His approval through morality, traditions, or the pursuit of personal righteousness. Yet, Jesus Christ gives a clear and profound answer to this question in John 6:40. He says,
“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)
In this single statement, the Lord Jesus reveals the very heart of the Father’s desire for humanity. God’s will is centered not on rituals, offerings, achievements, or works, but on His Son, Jesus Christ. To know the Father is to recognize the Son. To come to the Father is to believe in the One He has sent.
When Jesus says “everyone who sees the Son,” He is not speaking simply of physical sight, because many during His earthly ministry saw Him with their eyes but did not believe. The word “see” here refers to spiritual recognition—to behold Christ as He truly is: the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior who came to redeem and restore. It is God who opens the eyes of the heart so that a person may understand the truth of who Jesus is. This is why faith does not begin with human effort, but with the revelation of Christ through the Word of God. As Scripture says,
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
However, the will of God involves not only seeing Christ but believing in Him. To believe in Jesus is not merely to agree that He existed or to admire His teachings. It means to rely upon Him, to trust Him, and to surrender one’s life to Him as Lord and Savior. (Read Also: “What Does it Mean to Believe in Jesus?”) It is placing full confidence in His finished work on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Jesus declared,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:29)
Belief is not a casual acknowledgment, but a personal yielding to Christ. It is receiving Him with the heart, not just accepting Him with the mind.
The result of this believing is everlasting life. Eternal life is not simply endless existence; it is life restored to fellowship with God. It begins now, as the believer is reconciled to the Father, and it continues forever in His presence. God’s will was never to condemn humanity but to save.
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:17)
Salvation is not achieved by human striving; it is received as a gift of grace through faith in Christ.
Finally, Jesus adds one of the most comforting promises in Scripture:
“I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)
This means that those who belong to Christ are not only forgiven now, but they are assured of resurrection and eternal glory. Death loses its finality. The grave loses its victory. The believer’s hope rests not in his own strength but in the unchanging promise of the Son of God. Just as Christ rose from the dead, so will all who trust in Him.
John 6:40 teaches us that God’s will is not complicated. It is not hidden. It is not burdensome. God’s will is that we look to Jesus Christ, believe in Him, and receive the eternal life He freely offers. God does not demand that we climb our way to Him—He sent His Son down to us. The invitation is open to everyone, and the promise stands firm: if you believe in Christ, your life is in His hands, and He will raise you up on the last day.
Final Thought:
More than any church commitment, more than any religious activity, more than any service, work, ministry, or personal sacrifice, the will of God is that we know who Jesus Christ is and believe in Him. More than financial blessing, success, or riches in this world, God desires that we receive the salvation He has provided through His Son. His will is not that we impress Him, but that we come to Him. It is God’s desire for you and me to be saved, to be reconciled to Him, to belong to Him, and to share in everlasting life. The Lord Jesus made this will unmistakably clear when He said,
“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)
God’s will is for you to know Him now, to walk with Him in this life, and to be with Him forever in eternity, including the glorious resurrection He has promised to all who believe.
Further Reading: “How Can I Get Saved?”
