saved by christ works or saved by your own?,,,,

[Grandpa]

Works done to save oneself by one's self? That is a twist isn't it?

Mandatory yielding to God is not saving oneself by oneself no more than a starving man is saving himself by himself by eating the food provided to him by another.

Would the man who told him that he "must eat" be teaching him that he was saving himself by himself?

Only with the convoluted logic you exhibit is such nonsense put forth.

When Jesus was asked...

Luk 13:23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,

He responded with...

Luk 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

We are not saved so that we can then go and strive. No, we are to strive that we may be saved. Does a man who is drowning not have to grab a hold of the life buoy thrown to him? Indeed! Likewise we have to grab hold of the instructions given to us by Jesus Christ and DO THEM.

Likewise WE BUILD our house upon the correct foundation which is Jesus Christ.

Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Is a drowning man saved so that he may then grab a hold of the life preserver? Only in false Christianity is such a fallacy taught.





False Christianity teaches that one is saved while still remaining a worker of iniquity. What foolishness.

These are all the things an un-believer must do in order to come to know Christ.

After the task master has done his job and the un-believer is now made a believer, not by his own works but by the work that was done in him, he knows Christ.

There is no more striving, except to enter into His Rest. There is no more Righteousness to achieve, The Lord has already given him all the Righteousness he will ever have. Not one more inch can a person add to their own stature of Righteousness or heart purity. It was all given as a gift by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Its a gift because He Loves. He knows our weakness. And He says in our weakness He is Strong. Don't you believe this???

 

[Abiding]

but by obedience to our LORD (MASTER) we maintain our salvation in His flock.


Red,

So, are we free to do as we wish once we are in the fold? Or must we hearken to the Shepherd's commands?

Did you REALLY? ASK THAT QUESTION?
Tell me the truth since you did..before God.
Was that just a silly deflection...or an honest question?

In otherwords as it seems to me....noone could come to the Father in Faith
and NOT grow to maturity. And RED is obviously a Godly man.
So why did you ask that question?

Apparently in the endeavor to seperate living by faith and the flesh
it seems there are many antics going on.

 

[RickShafer]

Regarding fruits of the Spirit...

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Those who HAVE crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts and WALK after the Spirit will exhibit the fruits of the Spirit in their lives. The fruits of the Spirit are the FRUIT that a good tree produces.

Grace teaches us how to live (Tit 2:11-12) and we yield to it through an obedient faith (Rom 1:5, 2Cor 6:1) having repented and forsaken all known rebellion (2Cor:7:10-11, Jam 1:21-22) and the result of that dynamic is heart purity (Act 15:9, 1Pet 1:22).

It is through abiding in Jesus Christ (which means building our house upon the rock through yielding to His Spirit) that we produce good fruit (Joh 15:4-5).

Do it not and perish in corruption.

There you go again.
Do It Not and Perish in Corruption

It amazingly easy to tell where the Holy Writ stops and your damnating ideas begin.
I wish you could see how utterly black your ideas are set against the light of the scriptures you quote.
Grace doesn't teach us how to live-(like a schoolmarm); grace empowers the believer in the finished work of Christ into a newness of life.
It's not teaching, it's living. It's empowering, it's being.
The word instructs the believer; but without the Holy Spirit guiding them it becomes line upon line; precept upon precept, here a little, there a little. Ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth.

 

[starfield]

Christ became the ransom for sin, He said it is finished, His purpose on earth has been accomplished, but has everyone benefited from His sacrificial work? It only becomes effectual when one confess with their mouth, believes in their heart the saving power of Christ. We are saved by Christ's work not religious works or self-righteousness, but God's promise of eternal life depends on our faithfulness and obedience after initial salvation. The believer has their part play in their election--we must continue to abide in Him. We decide which way to follow by our attitude on earth (the narrow way or the broad way); Jesus does not choose for us, neither does He obey for us.
Joshua 24:15- And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
1 Tim 6:12- Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Heb 5:9- And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Rom 6:16- Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
2 Pet 1:10- Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Eph 2:8-10
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Those truly saved by faith in the Lord will walk according to His will (obedience).
Professing faith and lacking obedience is equivalent to unbelief or having an empty faith. Faith and obedience, you can't have one without the other.

 

[cfultz3]

Did you REALLY? ASK THAT QUESTION?
Tell me the truth since you did..before God.
Was that just a silly deflection...or an honest question?

In otherwords as it seems to me....noone could come to the Father in Faith
and NOT grow to maturity. And RED is obviously a Godly man.
So why did you ask that question?

Apparently in the endeavor to seperate living by faith and the flesh
it seems there are many antics going on.

So, what is the answer to that question? P.S. It was not a personal attack on him but a question ask in response to him having highlighted those words.

 

[RickShafer]

He keeps His own.
Work out your own salvation, go ahead; try it.
(Don't forget the fear and trembling part.)
All the good in you as far as the Father is concerned is
hidden in Jesus Christ.
There are none good, no not one.
All have fallen short.
Any works of sanctification will be directed and led by the Holy Spirit.
Be gentle and able to move where He leads you.
(This is a main stumbling block, that people are not willing to go were the Spirit leads, so they revert
back to 'good' works and call it a work of the spirit.)
Then they get entrenched, (the further and further they get from the will of God),
into the performance of 'righteousness', as prescribed by the law of their own minds.

Every good gift cometh from God; including your faith.

My main issue is this continual reliance on works to produce 'self justification'.
It's a dangerous ground to trod.

Rely on His righteousness, and you will never be sorry,
because He leads you as the one true Good Shepherd.
Abstain from youthful lusts, be zealous for the faith.
All these things and many more will be added unto you.
If you will only put your faith in Him and His perfect life.

What I'm saying Starfield is don't get caught up in chasing perfection.
God will use you as you are, believe on Him and He will keep you from the wayward path.
And if you fall, He will lift you back up.
Do your best, and leave it up to God for the rest.

 

[iamsoandso]

and

All those things are commandments of Jesus. He doesn't save you so you can do those things later on. If that was the case then all those things would be OPTIONAL.

Let's say you are starving and dying of thirst in the desert. A man approaches and gives you food and water and tells you to eat.

Are you saved before you eat the food and drink the water or is it through putting to use what the man gave you that salvation is found?

That is why Jesus commanded us to be DOERS of the word. It is through doing that God's grace is made effectual. Obedience to the truth purifies the soul. If there is no obedience there is no purity.

Such a simple thing is so perverted today.

,,,,,,,skinski7,,,,actually i do agree with you to some extent,,,,i read the bible from gen.to rev,,,,,,over thirty years ago,,,,and have lost track at the times i have reread it,,,,,and i do agree that all you quoted is from the scripture,,,,,,,,my concern is this though,,,,,i have tried with my utmost heart to never again fail,,,,i have stumbled,,,i have cried,,,,i have begged the lord for forgiveness for some times doing the very things you quote,,,,and at others falling short of strength,,,,,and falling on my face,,,,,i fell and i fell and i am still falling short of being the man i thought i would be,,,i was afraid ,i pulled at my own hair,,,,i was jealous of the "godly men",,who i thought received salvation and then as though god put his finger on their forehead and said an word "they were always perfect,never weak",,,,,i looked all around me in every direction for these perfect saints,,,,thinking if i drew near to them i would be strengthened,,,,i do completely understand that,,, but i have never in all of my life met a person who could stand beside me in the presence of god and say to me that after the lord saved them,,,,,"they never did not do again these things the lord ask us not,,and did preform all the lord ask",,,,,,i tell you i have not,,,,,and i am crying and i do wish i could have,,,,,we are not yet today raised "incorruptible",,,,but as Paul said,,,,"the thing i say do,i do not,,,,,and the thing i say do not i do,,,",,,here is where i knew he was wishing the same wish as me,,,,and spoke of the day when we would be "raised incorruptible"that is Abram,went down unto Egypt when there was an drought to eat,,,,and peter denied thrice,,,,,and Moses looked across to the promised land but was buried in an mountain by the hand of god,,,,and Solomon after he spoke to god twice build-ed temples for his wives and sacrificed to the star of remphram,,,,and his own father David seeing an beautiful woman sent her husband to the battle to die that he would have her to wife,,,,,,and David spoke of this saying,,,,,,"if the lord forgive not sin,,,,all shall perish",,,,,,,of all of these who post,,,,,,,,who among you since you confessed Christ and were saved,,,,have then after fallen,,,,,,,,and not done that thing the Christ ask you to do?,,,,,,and who among you are guilty of doing that the lord ask you not to do?,,,,,,,,,answer after me i will stoop down and begin,,,,,,,,,,,,"dear lord i know the things you have ask me is righteousness,,,,,my intent was to do it but i am weak,,these you ask me to do not,,i should not i know,,,but i find me at times walking about in front of men and i do them for them to see,,,,,,,and at others,,when i am alone with you,,,well then i must admit,in mine weak time i fall,,,,,,,,,if an man saith he hath not sin he is an lair,,,,,,,,,Christ"can you loose mine salvation?can that which is in your hand be plucked out?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and for these to who i speak i will begin,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"i am guilty",,that is after you received the salvation have you walked the walk,,,,,,,,the lord said to you and that you quoted to me to walk??????????i will begin the process of the answers,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, "i am guilty,lest the lord set out his hand and pluck me out mine salvation is hopeless,,,,i amsoandso,,,,",,,

 

[resurrection33]

"saved,,does it mean "save your own self"?,,,,or does it mean"Christ saved you because you could not",,,,,,,,and if Christ saved you because you could not,,,,,,,,,can Christ loose your salvation?,,,,can you be plucked out of his hand?,,,,,,

The Lord, in time, forgives us of our sins, but he expects us to learn from our mistakes.

 

[RickShafer]

and ,,,,,,,skinski7,,,,actually i do agree with you to some extent,,,,i read the bible from gen.to rev,,,,,,over thirty years ago,,,,and have lost track at the times i have reread it,,,,,and i do agree that all you quoted is from the scripture,,,,,,,,my concern is this though,,,,,i have tried with my utmost heart to never again fail,,,,i have stumbled,,,i have cried,,,,i have begged the lord for forgiveness for some times doing the very things you quote,,,,and at others falling short of strength,,,,,and falling on my face,,,,,i fell and i fell and i am still falling short of being the man i thought i would be,,,i was afraid ,i pulled at my own hair,,,,i was jealous of the "godly men",,who i thought received salvation and then as though god put his finger on their forehead and said an word "they were always perfect,never weak",,,,,i looked all around me in every direction for these perfect saints,,,,thinking if i drew near to them i would be strengthened,,,,i do completely understand that,,, but i have never in all of my life met a person who could stand beside me in the presence of god and say to me that after the lord saved them,,,,,"they never did not do again these things the lord ask us not,,and did preform all the lord ask",,,,,,i tell you i have not,,,,,and i am crying and i do wish i could have,,,,,we are not yet today raised "incorruptible",,,,but as Paul said,,,,"the thing i say do,i do not,,,,,and the thing i say do not i do,,,",,,here is where i knew he was wishing the same wish as me,,,,and spoke of the day when we would be "raised incorruptible"that is Abram,went down unto Egypt when there was an drought to eat,,,,and peter denied thrice,,,,,and Moses looked across to the promised land but was buried in an mountain by the hand of god,,,,and Solomon after he spoke to god twice build-ed temples for his wives and sacrificed to the star of remphram,,,,and his own father David seeing an beautiful woman sent her husband to the battle to die that he would have her to wife,,,,,,and David spoke of this saying,,,,,,"if the lord forgive not sin,,,,all shall perish",,,,,,,of all of these who post,,,,,,,,who among you since you confessed Christ and were saved,,,,have then after fallen,,,,,,,,and not done that thing the Christ ask you to do?,,,,,,and who among you are guilty of doing that the lord ask you not to do?,,,,,,,,,answer after me i will stoop down and begin,,,,,,,,,,,,"dear lord i know the things you have ask me is righteousness,,,,,my intent was to do it but i am weak,,these you ask me to do not,,i should not i know,,,but i find me at times walking about in front of men and i do them for them to see,,,,,,,and at others,,when i am alone with you,,,well then i must admit,in mine weak time i fall,,,,,,,,,if an man saith he hath not sin he is an lair,,,,,,,,,Christ"can you loose mine salvation?can that which is in your hand be plucked out?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and for these to who i speak i will begin,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"i am guilty",,that is after you received the salvation have you walked the walk,,,,,,,,the lord said to you and that you quoted to me to walk??????????i will begin the process of the answers,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, "i am guilty,lest the lord set out his hand and pluck me out mine salvation is hopeless,,,,i amsoandso,,,,",,,

Finally, a man who speaks truth in honesty and verity!
And this IS the faith, that despite our frailties and faults we continue to rely on Him; who saved us!!!
And His tender mercies are new every morning! And I will shout of His Great Grace and Glorious Love!!!
And I will be made twice the fool I have been before in the worlds eyes for Him!!! Who died for me!!!
Yea and Amen!!!
(It's not that we don't strive, we strive against sin every day)

 

[iamsoandso]

The Lord, in time, forgives us of our sins, but he expects us to learn from our mistakes.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"yes",,,,,

 

[cfultz3]

He keeps His own.
Work out your own salvation, go ahead; try it.
(Don't forget the fear and trembling part.)
All the good in you as far as the Father is concerned is
hidden in Jesus Christ.
There are none good, no not one.
All have fallen short.
Any works of sanctification will be directed and led by the Holy Spirit.
Be gentle and able to move where He leads you.
(This is a main stumbling block, that people are not willing to go were the Spirit leads, so they revert
back to 'good' works and call it a work of the spirit.)
Then they get entrenched, (the further and further they get from the will of God),
into the performance of 'righteousness', as prescribed by the law of their own minds.

Every good gift cometh from God; including your faith.

My main issue is this continual reliance on works to produce 'self justification'.
It's a dangerous ground to trod.

Rely on His righteousness, and you will never be sorry,
because He leads you as the one true Good Shepherd.
Abstain from youthful lusts, be zealous for the faith.
All these things and many more will be added unto you.
If you will only put your faith in Him and His perfect life.

What I'm saying Starfield is don't get caught up in chasing perfection.
God will use you as you are, believe on Him and He will keep you from the wayward path.
And if you fall, He will lift you back up.
Do your best, and leave it up to God for the rest.

Rick,

In what i am about to say, if at any point you find fault in what I say, will you ask me to explain myself?

If I call Him Lord, then my life is in His hands.

If I call Him Lord, then He is my Master.

If I call Him Lord, then I am His slave.

If I call Him Lord and disobey Him, then He shall whip me.

If I call Him Lord and do not love, then God's Love is not me.


If I call Him Christ, then my justfication comes from Him.

If I call Him Christ, then my deeds is not the means to salvation.

If I call Him Christ, then I concur with God that my justificaton and salvation comes by faith.


If I call Him Jesus, then I know He came to be the perfect example to follow.
If I call Him Jesus, then I know He is my High Priest.
If I call Him Jesus, then I know He is God among us.


Sincerly asking, have I made myself my own savior through deeds, or have I placed the hope of my salvation in the Savior? If I love my Christ, I will show my love towards Him by obedience, as He showed His love towards His Father through obedience (hearkening). If He is my Lord, I will obey His commands willfully.

 

[iamsoandso]

Rick,

In what i am about to say, if at any point you find fault in what I say, will you ask me to explain myself?

If I call Him Lord, then my life is in His hands.

If I call Him Lord, then He is my Master.

If I call Him Lord, then I am His slave.

If I call Him Lord and disobey Him, then He shall whip me.

If I call Him Lord and do not love, then God's Love is not me.


If I call Him Christ, then my justfication comes from Him.

If I call Him Christ, then my deeds is not the means to salvation.

If I call Him Christ, then I concur with God that my justificaton and salvation comes by faith.


If I call Him Jesus, then I know He came to be the perfect example to follow.
If I call Him Jesus, then I know He is my High Priest.
If I call Him Jesus, then I know He is God among us.


Sincerly asking, have I made myself my own savior through deeds, or have I placed the hope of my salvation in the Savior? If I love my Christ, I will show my love towards Him by obedience, as He showed His love towards His Father through obedience (hearkening). If He is my Lord, I will obey His commands willfully.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,cfultz3,,,,is our brother,,,,,,,i have been his witness across the times,,,,,,,,,,,be patient,,,,,,,,

 

[Abiding]

So, what is the answer to that question? P.S. It was not a personal attack on him but a question ask in response to him having highlighted those words.

weve talked about this...go back and look i was talking about the small print.

 

[RickShafer]

Yes.
But we are more at sheep than slaves: (I know Paul called himself a love slave of Christ but we haven't been scourged with 39 lashes five times; or beaten with rods three times; or shipwrecked; or given our head for the gospel).
To call yourself a love slave is too much at this point unless you have shed much blood and been imprisoned for the gospel.
Right now you and I are sheep.
And yes, to obey is better than sacrifice.
But the obedience is a work of the Holy Spirit.
It's called sanctification - I Cor. 1:30.
If you claim it as part of your salvation it is no longer grace!
Can't you agree with that?
Then you would have a place to boast - saying by your own will you were a partaker in your own salvation. (Not a partaker in His sufferings, but in your own salvation)
Can't you see how that does not jibe with any scripture?

"By Grace are you saved though Faith, and that not of yourselves, lest any man should boast."

 

[cfultz3]

Yes.
But we are more at sheep than slaves: (I know Paul called himself a love slave of Christ but we haven't been scourged with 39 lashes five times; or beaten with rods three times; or shipwrecked; or given our head for the gospel).
To call yourself a love slave is too much at this point unless you have shed much blood and been imprisoned for the gospel.
Right now you and I are sheep.
And yes, to obey is better than sacrifice.
But the obedience is a work of the Holy Spirit.
It's called sanctification - I Cor. 1:30.
If you claim it as part of your salvation it is no longer grace! --Salvation by faith was a gracious act of God.

Can't you agree with that? No. Because if the Spirit is our obedience, then He is our disobedience when we fall at times. I believe we have freewill. I believe the Spirit is there to guide and we have that choice to obey or not and that is why our works will be judged. Now, that I have said what I believe, tell me where you see fault and we can go from there. But please, do not judge me as being in the wrong and a falsifier because, every thing you say after a judgment will fall on deaf ears. And I promise to the best of ability not to judge you are being in the wrong.

If you would and if you have a Bibile software with Barnes notes, what he says about 'and sanctification' is my own sentiments. If you will read that you will understand what I am saying about freewill choice in being sanctified. Yes santification comes from (source) Christ, but it must fall on one who has ears to hear.


Then you would have a place to boast - saying by your own will you were a partaker in your own salvation. (Not a partaker in His sufferings, but in your own salvation)
Can't you see how that does not jibe with any scripture? --

"By Grace are you saved though Faith, and that not of yourselves, lest any man should boast."

i don't want to respond to everything because i wish to have first agreed upon one thing and then move on from there.

 

[RickShafer]

Why would I blast you? I have no ill feelings toward you. You haven't impugned me in any way.
We do have freewill. But as sheep we are constrained by the rod of correction, and led by the staff of kindness.
I can't put it any more plain. If you have anything to do with your being kept from hellfire, then the perfect life and obedient death of Jesus is for naught.
You make a decision for Christ, His love overwhelms you, don't you see how that very act that you thought you did(the decision) is itself a work of the immutable grace of God?
You can spit blasphemies and turn your back on Him and seek earthly pleasure, of course you can........but you wouldn't. You know why........not because of any righteousness on your part, but because His Spirit CONSTRAINS you.
Even the greatest crown of the afterlife (martyrdom) is wholly and effectually a gift from God.

 

[Brother_Don]

Believing what Christ Jesus did for us at the cross, and wanting to be closer to Him every day, loving Him more than the day before, by the way Happy Sweetess day Jesus, and All.

 

[cfultz3]

Why would I blast you? I have no ill feelings toward you. You haven't impugned me in any way.
We do have freewill. But as sheep we are constrained by the rod of correction, and led by thestaff of kindness. --To me, by that same freewill, I undersatnd that we have the choice to tell the Spirit, 'no thank you, I want to do this instead.' Are you of the understanding that we loose our choose to follow or not follow? And if you are, what do you think about Jesus saying, 'not my will but your will.' I understand that to say that Jesus had a choice and He choose to obey because that was the way to God's rest.

What about: if you see a brother sinning (wondering) into a sin (offence) which is not unto death.....
and
If any one does sin, we do have an advocate with the Father.....

I can't put it any more plain. If you have anything to do with your being kept from hellfire, then the perfect life and obedient death of Jesus is for naught. -- By all means, I believe that through Jesus we have justification (found not guilty of being an offender of the Law and thus, not deserving of the adverse sentencing of death). And if Jesus received all which was promised Him (especially His resurrection) because of His obedience, then by His righteousness He received God's rest (speaking of the man Jesus, not the God part).


You make a decision for Christ, His love overwhelms you, don't you see how that very act that you thought you did(the decision) is itself a work of the immutable grace of God? -- Are you saying that our believe is given by God? If you are saying this, then what about all the whosoevers will believe?

You can spit blasphemies and turn your back on Him and seek earthly pleasure, of course you can........but you wouldn't. You know why........not because of any righteousness on your part, but because His Spirit CONSTRAINS you. --Again, i speak from my understand and feel free to correct me. But if all the actions of the Christian is the actions controlled by the Spirit, then why are we told to become co-participants of the Spirit's works? And what about the wreaths (our treasure we build up in Heaven) given based on our remaining works? This is not to take glory away from God, why are we rewarded for our good deeds and not the Spirit? But most certainly, we could do no good of our own to boast, but those things done in conjuction with the Spirit, are those things which shall remain.


Even the greatest crown of the afterlife (martyrdom) is wholly and effectually a gift from God. --Oh yes.....Nothing we can do on our own will ever earn a wreath, it is only by obedience to God that we are rewarded with things. Jesus was most certainly rewarded with ALL THINGS for His obedience.

 

[RickShafer]

I'm saying about free will, that we (as believers) have a measure of it. In the sense God allows us to make our own minds up.
But when we sin we pay a steep price(as David did), and when we abide in Him we are blessed with total peace.
Now, I know there are many rock stars and recording artists that left their first love, if you want to go, I mean if you really, really want to go(like Judas)
He will let you. But His love is an all consuming fire. And I know He said none could take His own from His hand.
I do believe He constrains us (like sheep), to go in the right way.

 

[cfultz3]

I'm saying about free will, that we (as believers) have a measure of it. In the sense God allows us to make our own minds up.
But when we sin we pay a steep price(as David did), and when we abide in Him we are blessed with total peace.
Now, I know there are many rock stars and recording artists that left their first love, if you want to go, I mean if you really, really want to go(like Judas)
He will let you. But His love is an all consuming fire. And I know He said none could take His own from His hand.
I do believe He constrains us (like sheep), to go in the right way.

I agree to everything you have said. I only have one question pertaining to 'constrains'.

What if a sheep becomes lost and stays hidden from the Shepherd, as to not to be found?