The rest of the story...

 I hate Twitter for multiple reasons, but the initial reason, because it represents a truncated version of the truth, remains my main objection.  Cherry picking, choosing your version of the facts, rarely results in a clear understanding of anything.  Truth takes time and discernment, a full evaluation of the evidence and material information, and careful consideration.  Twitter gives you none of that.

Many people read the Bible in the same way.  They cherry pick, truncating even a single verse to say only what they want it to say, without understanding "the rest of the story."  But the rest of the story matters.  It is important, relevant and critical to the understanding of each verse.  We should concern ourselves not only with the words on the page, but the context and meaning of phrases in their own cultural time and setting.  Words matter.

John 6:40 is one such verse.  It is often truncated to read:

"For my father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life...."

Those words are lovely, comforting, but they are not the whole story.  In fact, they leave out the most important part.  To continue:

"...and I will raise them up at the last day."

Palestinians of that time believed in a physical resurrection.  They did not understand the context of the words - it was beyond their limited, worldly understanding.  But the promise is there - not only will we have eternal life but we will be raised up with him.  We won't be somewhere, we will be at foot of his throne.

Our physical bodies may change.  We are born, we live and we die.  But on the last day, the day of Christ's return, we will be raised up to eternal life with the God who created us.

And that is the rest of the story.