His Sheep

His Sheep

By Mike DeSario

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand." John 10:27-28

Many professing Christians believe this passage of scripture to be the cornerstone of the eternal security doctrine. Since ‘eternal life’ is eternal and it’s given freely by HIM, and no one can then snatch them away, it must mean that once your saved you can never again be lost!

But contrary to popular opinion, this passage is NOT teaching any such thing. Jesus here is defining those who will follow Him and be called ‘His Sheep.’ NOT those who claim to believe and do not obey or those who have the ‘faith’ of devils. (Who believe and tremble! James 2:19)

According to this passage WHO are His sheep? First and foremost they are those who HEAR AND OBEY HIM, and as a result are then also KNOWN by HIM. Jesus made this point crystal clear throughout the Gospels that those who HEAR His Words and put them into practice are indeed His sheep!

"My mother and My brothers are these that HEAR the Word of God and DO IT!" Lk. 8:21.

You can claim to be a Christian, attend church, sing in the choir, and even preach the Word, but unless you are actively KEEPING the Word of God, Obeying it daily through self-denial, humility, and godly behavior, your profession is in vain. "More blessed are those who HEAR the WORD of God and KEEP IT!" Jesus said, Lk. 11:28.

How can you KEEP something you know NOTHING about? How can you take possession of a thing, guard and attend carefully to it, IF it’s not the foundation of everything you do, say and are in your daily life? It is the height of hypocrisy to claim that you are His Sheep and are kept eternally when you DO NOT KEEP and OBEY His Word. "IF you love Me, you will KEEP My Commandments!" He said.

What does that mean? That you merely ‘believe’ on His Name and are saved forever? Or does it mean that you MUST Obey His call to self-denial, humility and endurance in the faith? "He who endures to the end shall be saved." Jesus said, Matt. 10:22. Can you be one of His Sheep and NEVER Obey His call?

Secondly Jesus said that His Sheep are ‘KNOWN’ by Him. In other words, they refuse to follow anyone else. "They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers!" (John 10:5) In this, all religious hypocrisy is exposed. Those who refuse to forsake their selfish ambitions, lust, and false doctrines, will NEVER follow Him. (Although they claim to do so)

Jesus told the religious hypocrites of His time, "He who commits sin is a slave to sin." (John 8:34) They immediately took refuge in their ‘doctrines’ of men, claiming to be the ‘sons of Abraham’ who are NOT in bondage to anyone! Just as many today find solace being told they are ‘His Sheep’ and eternally secure, while they remain in bondage to their sin. But like the Pharisees, IF you were of Him, you would HEAR HIM!

"He who is OF GOD HEARS God’s Words, therefore you do not hear because YOU ARE NOT OF GOD!" (John 8:47)

Those who HEAR HIM also BEAR HIS IMAGE! As a son bears the likeness of his earthly father, takes on the characteristics of his behavior and conduct, so those BORN of God put on the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. " PUT ON the new man which is created according to God in righteousness and true holiness!" (Eph. 4:24)

This is the reason His Sheep will follow no other and why they are ‘kept’ by Him unto eternal life. Because they have been BORN of His Spirit and thereby CONFORMED to the doctrine, which is according to godliness. "For those He foreknew, He also did predestine to be CONFORMED to the IMAGE of His son!" (Rom. 8:29)

Those Born of God are ‘predetermined’ by GOD to WALK in the Image and likeness of Christ. NO ONE truly born of God will continue in his sin, refuse to deny self, or pursue selfish ambitions instead of righteousness and godliness. His Sheep will: ‘Crucify the flesh with its passions and desires’ (Gal. 5:24) ‘Put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit’ (Rom. 8:13) and WALK IN NEWNESS of Life! (Rom. 6:6)

There’s no since kidding yourself. If you were one of His Sheep, this would describe your behavior. Rather than cringe at the thought of self-denial and godliness, you would DESIRE nothing short of the very IMAGE of Christ Stamped upon your heart! Christ would be glorified in you and in everything you do and say. You would be zealous to do His Will, fervent in love and devotion, constant in prayer, and faithful in Obedience!

According to the scriptures, HIS SHEEP are PURE, ZEALOUS, and OBEDIENT. Today the churches are filled with ‘goats’, not sheep. They follow false teachers and cling to false doctrines that protect their carnality. Although they claim that ‘no one’ can snatch them out of His hand, their own behavior testifies that they remain in bondage to sin.

If God were truly their Father, they would Bear the Image and likeness of His Son!

"For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable to the Lord!" (Eph. 5:10-11)

What does your life prove? Are you a Sheep or a Goat?