.
Jesus has been tasked with tending a number of his superior's sheep.
● John 10:29 . . My sheep . . my Father gave them to me
Jesus' Father expects His son to be conscientious about the sheep's safety.
● John 6:39 . .This is the will of the One who sent me: that I should not lose
anything of what He gave me.
Jesus never fails to give the One what He wants.
● John 4:34 . . My food is to do the will of the One who sent me.
● John 8:29 . . I always do what is pleasing to Him.
Now the thing is: were Jesus to lose even one of the sheep that his Father
entrusted to his care-- just one --then Jesus would not be able to say that
he "always" pleases the One who sent him. He could say that he pleases the
One most of the time, but certainly not always without fail.
People are actually casting a nay vote in regard to Jesus' competence when
they insist it's possible for him to lose some of the sheep that his Father
gave him. I would be inclined to agree with the skeptics were Christ an
ordinary guy; but his miracles demonstrate that Jesus has all the powers
and abilities of the supreme being at his disposal to insure he succeeds at
keeping the sheep right where his Father wants them kept.
● John 10:9 . . I am the door; whoever enters through me shall be saved.
Were Christ an ordinary guy; then he wouldn't dare say "shall be saved" no,
he'd have to tone it down a bit and say safer instead of saved. That would
leave him some room for error. But when Christ says "shall be saved" he's
claiming a 0.0% failure rate. That's how confident Christ is that he will lose
nothing of those that the One gave him.
FAQ: Why can't the sheep change their minds about following Christ and
leave him to follow someone else?
REPLY: Animal husbandry isn't democratic, on the contrary: it's quite
despotic.
The thing is: a rancher's free will trumps the herd's free will; and the
rancher's brand burned into the animals' skins indelibly identify them with
their owner. So be advised: once someone makes the decision to unify with
Christ, they relinquish whatever sovereignty they had as a beast at large,
viz: they become Christ's property, and there's no going back because he
and his Father play for keeps.
● John 10:28-29 . . No one can take them out of my hand-- my Father, who
has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one can take them out of
the Father’s hand. I and my Father stand together.
● 1Cor 6:19-20 . .You are not your own; you were bought at a price.
● Eph 1:13 . . In him you also-- who have heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him --were sealed with the
promised Holy Spirit.
_
Jesus has been tasked with tending a number of his superior's sheep.
● John 10:29 . . My sheep . . my Father gave them to me
Jesus' Father expects His son to be conscientious about the sheep's safety.
● John 6:39 . .This is the will of the One who sent me: that I should not lose
anything of what He gave me.
Jesus never fails to give the One what He wants.
● John 4:34 . . My food is to do the will of the One who sent me.
● John 8:29 . . I always do what is pleasing to Him.
Now the thing is: were Jesus to lose even one of the sheep that his Father
entrusted to his care-- just one --then Jesus would not be able to say that
he "always" pleases the One who sent him. He could say that he pleases the
One most of the time, but certainly not always without fail.
People are actually casting a nay vote in regard to Jesus' competence when
they insist it's possible for him to lose some of the sheep that his Father
gave him. I would be inclined to agree with the skeptics were Christ an
ordinary guy; but his miracles demonstrate that Jesus has all the powers
and abilities of the supreme being at his disposal to insure he succeeds at
keeping the sheep right where his Father wants them kept.
● John 10:9 . . I am the door; whoever enters through me shall be saved.
Were Christ an ordinary guy; then he wouldn't dare say "shall be saved" no,
he'd have to tone it down a bit and say safer instead of saved. That would
leave him some room for error. But when Christ says "shall be saved" he's
claiming a 0.0% failure rate. That's how confident Christ is that he will lose
nothing of those that the One gave him.
FAQ: Why can't the sheep change their minds about following Christ and
leave him to follow someone else?
REPLY: Animal husbandry isn't democratic, on the contrary: it's quite
despotic.
The thing is: a rancher's free will trumps the herd's free will; and the
rancher's brand burned into the animals' skins indelibly identify them with
their owner. So be advised: once someone makes the decision to unify with
Christ, they relinquish whatever sovereignty they had as a beast at large,
viz: they become Christ's property, and there's no going back because he
and his Father play for keeps.
● John 10:28-29 . . No one can take them out of my hand-- my Father, who
has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one can take them out of
the Father’s hand. I and my Father stand together.
● 1Cor 6:19-20 . .You are not your own; you were bought at a price.
● Eph 1:13 . . In him you also-- who have heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him --were sealed with the
promised Holy Spirit.
_