Saturday March 19, 2005
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:16)
Another truth is revealed in 10:16. Jesus now speaks of "other sheep...which are not of this fold." God's flock is open to all who believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 8:11) This speaks of us, as well as all of the gentiles that will come in faith to the Lord Jesus.
This goes beyond church membership as many unbelievers are on church rolls. His flock goes beyond Jerusalem, past Samaria to the uttermost parts of the world. One day "there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." Until then, many will call for unity at the sacrifice of Biblical doctrine. Those who reject the doctrine of Christ are lost and we are to avoid. Now, it is easy to say that, those who seemingly had a good start, but then departed from the faith had, and then lost, their salvation. The trouble with that is, as we saw earlier in John 10, the life that Jesus gives is eternal and His sheep, “shall never perish.” Those that are the sheep of the Lord Jesus will follow only Him, and hear only His voice:
“And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” (John 10:5) Can sheep go astray? Yes, but it is the job of the shepherd (The Good Shepherd in this case) to care for and keep His sheep. Considering this, can it be that “Once saved, always saved” be anything but the truth?
“Well, they can decide to be atheists, Mormons, J.W.s of their own will.” This means they have heard OTHER voices and the sheep of the Lord Jesus WILL NOT hear the other voices. Those who seemingly depart from the faith, never had it.
2John 9 "Whosoever transgreseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is a partaker of his deeds.
1John 4:1: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."
There was a heresy in the Church that said that Jesus was not a man, but was a spirit being. John, in his writings sought to debunk this teaching.
1Tim. 6:3: "If any man each otherwise, and consent not to wholesome word, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness, from such withdraw thyself."
Some time ago a teacher named Reverend Ike taught that the root of all evil was not money, but the lack of it. (Actually that was a perversion of the Scripture it is not money that is a root of evil, but the love of money is a root of evil.) Today you have the Word of Faith teachers, who dominate the Trinity Broadcasting Network, teaching along the same line. Now, will God bless the cheerful giver? This is taught in the Scripture. But God has many ways to bless to giver than merely financially. To think that God will make one rich is arrogant presumption at best, putting God to the test at worst.
2Tim 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."