Ouch! Harsh words from Jesus!

One of the projects I hope to complete in 2011 is to publish a doctrinally correct Gospel tract.  Just a simple little document that provides a glimpse of Who God really is and how man fits into God's plan of salvation.   Most people may not think there is a need, since there are so many "tracts" out there, but it is sad that true Grace is so often neglected.

Without getting into too much detail, try to reconcile the following words of Jesus with the Gospel that is so often presented to those who do not believe Jesus is the Christ:

15 As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep..... 

26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you....

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all;   (John 10:15 & 26, 27, 29)

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1. For whom did Jesus say He died?  _____ (v. 15)
2. Does everyone fit into that category?  _____ (v. 26)
3. Jesus gave a reason for His audiences unbelief.  What was it? ____ (v. 26-7)
4. To Whom did the believers belong, before being given to Jesus?  ____ (v. 29)

When I was growing up, I was taught that God loved everybody and Jesus was trying to save everyone, if we would just let Him.  These words from Jesus, seem to contradict that thought.

Jesus, Himself, limits those for whom He said He was going to die.  He then tells His audience, in effect, that He is NOT laying down His life for them.  In that same verse, He begins to explain that the only reason someone does believe in Him as the Messiah, does not even stem from their own great idea, but stems from their identity.  Their identity is the direct result of to Whom they belong, even BEFORE they believe in Jesus as the Son of God.

Two things to consider here:  1)  It sounds like Salvation begins and ends with God, and 2) It sounds like there is absolutely no guess work with God for whom He will give to Jesus and for whom Jesus will give His life.

Given the Scripture above and many others, I see a great need for the actual teachings of the Bible to be provided to both believers and non-believers.  

Once believers understand the Amazing Grace provided by God the Father, through His Son, they will respond with humility and love for God and their brothers and sisters in Christ.  After all, it wasn't that you made a great decision one day, so God decided to reward your brilliant choice!  Instead, salvation was and is completely God's work from beginning to end.  Believers are mere beneficiaries of His Great Grace.

⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹ not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.    (Ephesians 2:4-10)

Once non-believers understand that salvation is not all about them and in their control, they will understand their position in light of an Almighty God.  A person is closer to repentance, when they understand that the answers do not lie with them (Matthew 11:20-24) and what it means for Jesus to be God the Father's Christ.

So, how should we do evangelism, post-message "invitations", etc. in light of Scriptures like these?  God willing, that's for a future blog :)

In Christ,
Rodney