In view of Jesus words at John 10:25-31, how can it be that 'sheep' can be found to be 'goats', if nothing can remove the sheep from Jesus' hand? Doesn't this imply eternal security for a true believer? Otherwise the terms 'sheep' and 'goats' are a contradiction in terms. If a sheep could be taken from Jesus' hand, what does the sheep become? A goat? It seems that Jesus was teaching 2 distinct groups: believers and unbelievers and that we can put great assurance that we can never lose our salvation by being plucked out of the hand of our Shepherd. Only 'sheep' can hear Jesus. The goats never CAN. John 8:43, 47 Otherwise, we must conclude that sheep can become goats by being unfaithful. Yet, that would mean that Jesus indeed can 'lose' his sheep and they can be 'plucked out of his hand'.
In the 10th chapter of John Jesus discussed his role as Jehovah’s good Shepherd. Contrasting himself to the hired men who do not really care for the sheep and fail to protect them, which results in the sheep being scattered and assaulted by wolves, Jesus stated the following: “My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them everlasting life, and they will by no means ever be destroyed, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is something greater than all other things, and no one can snatch them out of the hand of the Father. I and the Father are one.”
In stating the above, Jesus indicated that he could never be overpowered or outsmarted by any sort of predator so that he might become an ineffectual shepherd -- like the hired men. However, that is not to say that Jesus’ followers cannot become unfaithful or allow themselves to be stumbled. Jesus himself says in Revelation that he will vomit lukewarm Christians out of his mouth as unpalatable. Numerous parables also indicate that Jesus will adversely judge those whom he deems to be wicked and sluggish slaves. It is not as though an enemy snatches them out of Christ’s hand though. Christ himself rejects those whom he judges to be unfaithful to their calling.
3 comments:
Some may equate people with real sheep and goats if they read more than necessary into this parable. Likely Christ used this illustration to show that at a definite point in time, when he comes in his glory and all evidence point to him as Savior of the world, people will polarize into two camps, identifying themselves either as sheep or goats. Ultimately, the stage will be set for this separation to take place during the great tribulation and into Christ's thousand-year reign.
Is the seperating of sheep and goats something the WT org. claims is their privilege to do?
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Sheep and goats
It is interesting to note that Jesus gave up his perfect human life as a trade-off to save humanity from our deplorable sinful condition and its death-dealing effects. But in this world people have not yet learn the object lesson of Christ's death, in that they are ready to fight and slaughter one another. So before we annihilate ourselves, during a time of great distress, Christ will have come in his glory with all the holy angels to separate people from one another, as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. Concerning the great tribulation Christ said, as recorded in Matthew 24:21-22:
“For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.”
During the first century many people recognized Christ as having been sent by God and they put their faith in him; others didn’t, preferring to follow their own agenda. So even back then we could see who were sheep and goats within the context of the Jewish system of worship. Eventually, in 70 C.E. goat-like persons perished within the walls of Jerusalem. But four years prior to that sheep-like ones recognized the signs Jesus gave his disciples, and they took action to save their lives.
The point is: we ought to be exhibiting the characteristics of sheep-like individuals even now so that we can have the strength to continue doing so into the time of the end. Right now we are likely in the latter part of the last days, meaning that we are closer to the time of the end. It is the same as the conclusion of the system of things, when Christ will be wrapping things up. It will be a time of distress such as the world has never before experienced.
Jesus assured his followers that they can be confident because as they approach that time their deliverance would be getting near. Since Christ put the sheep on his right hand, they are the ones that are delivered, and they are liberated from non other than goat-like ones that were causing tribulation for them. So evidently the goats go into everlasting destruction.
During that time, the manifestation of God’s holy spirit will be in clear evidence, as was the case during the original exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt. God’s spirit was in clear evidence then to both groups, as it will be to both sheep and goats during the great tribulation. The determining factor then will be where do we put our faith? Will it be in antitypical Egypt or God’s incoming kingdom?
--2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Isaiah 30:2-3; Ezekiel 29:7; Psalm 146:3-5; Matthew 12:31.
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