LOST = Separated and Heading for Destruction

The term "lost sheep" appears about twice in the New Testament, Matthew 10:6 and Matthew 15:24. The Greek word translated here as "lost" is "apollymi" (G622) and is a compound word meaning "heading to destruction." In both places the word is in the Perfect tense, indicating they were headed for destruction at some point in the past and they have continued to be heading for destruction to the present.

Several questions arise from the use of this term. If there are lost sheep, might there be sheep that are not heading for destruction. These would be the sheep, humans, who obtained approval through faith, such as Abraham.

The next conclusion, if the lost sheep are designated as from the house of Israel, might there be other lost sheep outside of the house of Israel?

Finally, since Jesus came to save that which is lost, the lost were never in His hand before, because once in His hand, they could not have become lost or heading for destruction.

When were the "lost sheep" lost? Certainly they came into that condition at conception, being conceived in iniquity. But the cause of the loss can be traced back farther, to the consequence of the Fall. So the sheep became the lost sheep as a consequence of the fall, and that consequence is applied at conception.

Luke 19:10
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Luke 15:7
“I tell you that in the same way, there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

The lost are the sinners. They are heading for destruction.

Bottom line, everyone born as a made sinner was made a lost sheep, and Jesus came for them. We all were once children of wrath. We were all once vessels prepared for destruction. But we were made "My sheep" by the Good Shepherd. And when we were, there was rejoicing in Heaven! When saves a sinner, He makes one of "the sheep" who was "of My sheep" one of His sheep, those known as "My sheep."