TO KNOW - CHRIST' SHEEP

TO KNOW – CHRIST’ SHEEP

Thursday, December 17, 2015

John [GW] 10:2-14 [Jesus explained]  "I can guarantee this truth: The person who doesn't enter the sheep pen through the gate but climbs in somewhere else is a thief or a robber. But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them out of the pen. After he has brought out all his sheep, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They won't follow a stranger. Instead, they will run away from a stranger because they don't recognize his voice." Jesus used this illustration as he talked to the people, but they didn't understand what he meant. Jesus emphasized, "I can guarantee this truth: I am the gate for the sheep. All [claimants] who came before I did were thieves or robbers. However, the sheep didn't respond to them. I am the gate. Those who enter the sheep pen through me will be saved. They will go in and out of the sheep pen and find food. A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came so that my sheep will have life and so that they will have everything they need. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. A hired hand isn't a shepherd and doesn't own the sheep. When he sees a wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and quickly runs away. So the wolf drags the sheep away and scatters the flock. The hired hand is concerned about what he's going to get paid and not about the sheep. "I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep as the Father knows me. My sheep know me as I know the Father.

2Corinthians 1:20-22 Certainly, Christ made God's many promises come true. For that reason, because of our message, people also honor God by saying, "Amen!" God establishes us, together with you, in a relationship with Christ. He has also anointed us. In addition, he has put his seal of ownership on us and has given us the Spirit as his guarantee.

1Jn 2:20-25 The Holy One has anointed you, so all of you have knowledge. I'm writing to you because you know the truth, not because you don't know the truth. You know that no lie ever comes from the truth. Who is a liar? Who else but the person who rejects Jesus as the Messiah? The person who rejects the Father and the Son is an antichrist. Everyone who rejects the Son doesn't have the Father either. The person who acknowledges the Son also has the Father. Make sure that the message you heard from the beginning lives in you. If that message lives in you, you will also live in the Son and in the Father. Christ has given us the promise of eternal life.

  There is no revolving door for Christ’ sheep; we have either trusted Christ, being born again, therein stand sealed unto everlasting life now and forever, or not. (Jn.3:1-21; 2Cor.1:22; 5:17; Eph.4:13, 30)

  There are ex-church members. There are no ex-Church members. (Mt.16:18, ekklēsia; 1Jn.2:19)

  Though a John 1:12 family member can break fellowship with Him, they cannot break relationship. (Jn.10:28-30) John explains this carefully and repetitively in detail in his epistles, especially so in the first.

  Where the confusion comes in is in worldly philosophy; Christianity apart from Christ; Christian religiosity sans personal relationship in Christ.

  Those trusting in Christ as Savior do not deny Him. (Rom.10:1-21) We that know Christ comprehend the truth about evil, sin, responsibility in choices and consequences, Christ’ love, life’s significant purpose in God’s mercy and grace; and though possibly at odds in lifestyle at times, we are never eternally lost again. King David is a prime example of penalized within salvation.. (2Sam.12:14-23; 1Kng.11:6; Ps.51; Rom.4:6) Biblical Christianity is centered in Christ. It is not as some spiritual benevolence club that one can join then quit.

  As states John, “we know”.  EBB4