Jesus is well-known for declaring, "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11, 14). There are popular artistic renderings of a Jesus figure holding a lamb or a shepherd's staff or the like. It's actually a warm and friendly image of a shepherd tending to His flock. He goes on to assure us, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:27-28). That is a really good shepherd offering absolute protection for His flock. And what flock is that? How does one get to be under the care of that tender shepherd? How does one arrive at that safe haven?
The standard answer we might offer would be "By faith," and that makes some sense, but there's a problem with that. Jesus didn't say it. Instead, Jesus told His opponents, "You do not believe because you are not among My sheep" (John 10:26). Now, if "believe" is the criterion to be "My sheep," He would have said, "You are not among My sheep because you do not believe." He didn't. He said precisely the opposite. "Among My sheep" is not the product of "believe." Instead, "believe" is the product of "among My sheep." Paul asks the Corinthian believers, "What do you have that you did not receive?" (1 Cor 4:7). He told the Philippians, "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake" (Php 1:29). That is, suffering and believing in Him were grants from God. Peter refers to faith as being "obtained" rather than produced (2 Peter 1:1). The idea, then, is that those who are chosen from before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4) are supplied with the necessary faith -- the necessary "believe" -- that they would exercise and turn to Christ, already chosen for His flock.
This isn't a far-fetched or novel concept in Scripture. Abraham was chosen by God to be the father of God's chosen people. The New Testament is full of references to "the elect" and "the chosen." Jesus told His disciples, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you" (John 15:16). It is this choice that is foundational to the salvation of everyone who is saved by faith, leaving it all, ultimately, as a gift from God -- "saved by grace through faith" (Eph 2:8). I believe being in this "flock of Christ" is a far more marvelous gift than we originally imagined.
6 comments:
The deeper I go into theology, the more amazing grace becomes. He chose us for His good plan and pleasure. Any other reason makes salvation merit rather than mercy.
I can't see how one can miss the doctrine of “election” in Scripture, which I accept as truth from God. My only “issue” with that doctrine is why God limits the recipients of His grace to the extreme degree that He does (as I mentioned in my replies to your Oct. 10 post). Using your theme for today, why doesn’t the Father give Jesus the Good Shepherd more sheep? What shepherd wouldn’t happily take more sheep? Of course, it is not my place to question God or His ways, and perhaps any thoughts about that are just speculation anyway. I fully acknowledge that the ability to believe the Gospel of grace comes from outside myself, i.e. a gift from God, and is totally unmerited; for that I am eternally grateful. Professing that here certainly never gets old!
I know people who are disgusted by a God who limits election to a few (Jesus's words - Matt 7:14) or to a "remnant" in the Old Testament language (e.g., Rom 9:27). I find that an astounding position to take since it comes from Jesus and the rest of His Word. I am deeply concerned for those who consciously reject God as He reveals Himself in Scripture and then consider themselves His followers.
Well, I don’t believe my thoughts are exactly as you describe. I am definitely not “disgusted” with God, nor am I rejecting God as He reveals Himself, since I do accept “election” and acknowledge the small group of individuals chosen. I just wonder about His reasons for not giving Himself more followers (by granting faith to more undeserving sinners--not because more are worthy). It is a completely different aspect of the “why doesn’t God save more people?” query that bothers most people, as I mentioned earlier. I do wish I could know the answer to that; that’s all I was expressing. And I do think that God’s followers will be unsure, unclear, or curious about His ways at many points along their spiritual journey and are not rejecting Him by being so.
I'm sorry, Lorna. I apparently lack communication skills. You said, "It is not my place to question God or His ways" and my comment was in agreement with you, contrasting with others who disagree and reject the biblical God. I wasn't describing you at all.
Oh!! I am sorry to have misunderstood your reply! I thought you were responding to my “issue” with the doctrine. I totally misread it. Thank you for clarifying.
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