Daily Bible Reading: John 10: The Good Shepherd

For Christians, the gospel of John, chapter 10 is surely one of the most comforting and encouraging chapters in the bible for here we have the security of the believer.  Here also are Jew and Gentile coming together into one fold.  And here we have proof positive that the Lord Jesus lay down his life for his sheep, those that are and will be his.

In chapter 8 and chapter 9 Jesus presented himself to be the "light of the world" and he healed a man born blind.  After the healing Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees and he continued to do so as chapter 10 begins.  And as Jesus often did, he begins this new teaching with a parable, which is putting a great truth into things that happen to everyone.  In this case Jesus spoke of the shepherd and his sheep and of those who did not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbed up some other way, this person is a thief and a robber. But the person who entered by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  The sheep heard the voice of the shepherd because the shepherd called them by name and led them out of the sheepfold.  The sheep followed him because they knew his voice.  They would not follow a stranger.

Those who heard the parable did not understand what Jesus was saying to them.

Then Jesus began his great teaching:

V7 ...verily, verily (truly, truly) I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.  (the sheep arehis own, those given him by the Father, those who will be saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus)
V8 "All that ..came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them". As Jesus said in a previous chapter, "I am the light of the world".  The thieves and robbers are those who taught that the people should follow the law rather than follow Jesus.
V9 "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture."  Jesus is the only way to salvation.   In John 14:6 we have these words: "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
V11 "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."  This verse foretells Christ's death on the cross, shedding his precious blood and taking upon himself the penalty for sin for his sheep, for all those who would be saved.  Many people believe that Jesus died for all people, but this verse clearly states that Jesus would give his life for the sheep, for those who belong to his flock.

The Security of the Believer

The Security of the Believer..

Can a believer ever be lost?  I was saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in 1987, and attended a Brethren assembly until April of 2001 when a series of incidents led to almost all of the members leaving that church.  Until the day that I left that church and prayed for the Lord to show me the truth from His Holy Word, I was always afraid of losing my salvation.  It was after that prayer that the beautiful word "grace" became real to me, and I believed what Jonah said, "Salvation is of the Lord." (Jonah 2:9)  Our salvation is by grace, and not by anything we can do of our own will..  I finally saw that faith is a gift of God, and I knew that it wasn't me who kept myself, but the Lord who kept me..

What does the bible say about this change of heart?

Eze 11:19 "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh":

Eze 36:26 "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh"

1 Peter 1:5 says that believers are "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Since that time, I have seen many debates online concerning whether or not the believer is eternally secure, some of them becoming very volatile.  I do believe the bible teaches that believers are secure, and choose to let the bible speak:

First and foremost I am "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith...." (Hebrews 12:1)