26 But you
do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. John 10:26-28
The first condition we see to being considered as one of His sheep is believe.
Those who
do not believe are
not His sheep.
Those who believe for a while, then
do not believe, are those who
do not believe.
Believe = Sheep
Do not believe = are not His sheep
Believe means commit, trust obey.
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
John 3:36 NASB
Those who believe on the Lord, and confess Him as Lord, but don't obey Him as Lord, are not His sheep.
- But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:46-49
Our Master is the one we obey:
16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? Romans 6:16
- Condition #2 - Hear His voice
My sheep hear My voice.
Jesus said His sheep are those who hear His voice.
Hear means to learn by hearing, understand, to give attention to a teacher or teaching to comprehend; Hearken
Hearken in Hebrew thought means to listen with the intent of obeying.
- But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; Leviticus 26:14 KJV
- But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, Leviticus 26:14 NKJV
We find this to be a essential condition for eternal life, as this same John says:
- if we keep His commandments. Obey Him; Do what He says, Believe Him and hearken to what He says.
The essential and biblical definition of eternal life is to
knowing Him.
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:3-4
Which brings us to condition # 3
- Condition # 3 - Know Him - My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life.
Relationship; Joined in covenant relationship;
In Hebrew thought this word is used of a union between a man and his wife.
Mary said it this way -
- Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” Luke 1:34
And this is eternal life, that
they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:3-4
The condition or test of knowing Him is: if we obey Him
- Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
- He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar.
in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
- in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God
- and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Key essential elements of eternal life: Knowing Him and Obeying Him.
- Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
Condition # 4 - Follow
Follow means to join as a disciple the one you are following.
Following is the evidence you believe.
This principle is made clear in John 6, where some disciples left from following Him because they didn't want do what He said, because the didn't understand what He said, and therefore no longer believed in Him
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62
What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and
they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
66 From that
time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” John 6:61-69
Key verse's:
- But there are some of you who do not believe.
- From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
- Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
- You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Following is the evidence of believing.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life.
JLB