A Study On John 10

A journal entry. One early morning of September. A study on my morning readings, on John 10. 

For whom did Christ die?

For God so loved the world..

Many people, those who believe they know doctrine, along with those who do not know, take this to mean that "world" means ALL men. But since Jesus died only for his sheep (John 10:11), it is logical to conclude therefore that the Lord died for all men, because according to this thinking, all men are his sheep.

Question: If the world means all men, and all men are his sheep, what part of the human population is Jesus referring to as "not of his sheep"? If his statement is true, then not all men are his sheep, and therefore the world does not necessarily refer to all of mankind. But we will go on. 

If world means all men, it is logical to conclude that all men should hear his voice and should follow him (John 10:27), including those who went to hell, and everyone will agree that there are those who end up there. But that he has sheep in hell, entails a failure on the part of Christ. Why? This makes him to be deceitful, and a liar when he said "that of all which the Father should give me, I should not lose one." The latter part of the verse poses an even bigger logical problem, because it implies that everyone is to be raised up again at the last day. One will argue, raise him up means from the grave and unto judgement. But the following verse 40 refutes that, because those who are raised up are to be raised up unto everlasting life, not judgement. So if world means all men and all men are his sheep then it follows that all men are to be raised up unto eternal life, and hell would be empty.

Question: If the world means all men, then all men are his sheep and all men follow Christ because all men know his voice. Is this the case? (verse 27)

Question: If the world means all men, then all men are his sheep and all men should have eternal life as a surety because Christ gives it to them, not rewards them with it. This would mean Judas received eternal life and he should hear the words, "well done good and faithful servant". Is this the case? (verse 28)

Question: If the world means all men, then all men are his sheep, including Judas. Was he an exception to the rule that no man can take Christ's sheep from his hand? If the answer is no, then what category is sheep who are plucked out of Christ's hand fall into? If the answer is yes, it poses an even bigger problem: either Christ is powerless to keep his sheep from being plucked out of his hand, or he is lying. (verse 28)

Question: If the world means all men, then all men are his sheep, and all men will be drawn to Christ to believe. All men will believe when he is lifted up (John 12:32). Is this the case? Is there a category such as unbelieving sheep? Do unbelieving sheep inherit eternal life? Are unbelieving sheep "good and faithful servants"?

Question: If the world means all men, then all men are his sheep, and all men are drawn by the Father to the Son, because all means all. John 6:65 should therefore read, "all men will come unto me, because the Father hath given it to all men to come to me." This means all receives Christ and all are given power to becomes the sons of God and all men are born of God (John 1:12). Who then are those who will be weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth? You answer, "those who do not believe by choice." This contradicts itself because of the premise that the world means all men and all men are his sheep. Again, are there unbelieving sheep?

Question: If  the world includes all men, does God also love those whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world? (Revelation 17:8) Does he then love those upon whom his wrath abides on? (John 3:36) Is this the same all-inclusive 'world' that wondered after the beast? 

To say that Christ died for all men means Christ failed, and the Father has failed. It turns the glory of God equal unto corrupt man, a liar, for it implies that Christ is not able to save to the uttermost those who will come to him. It is utter blasphemy of the Holy Ghost. Not all men are his sheep, because not all men will believe. The world does not mean all men, but ALL of whom will believe. To what purpose is Christ dying for all men in the world including unbelieving sheep, if he does not mean to quicken them from death unto abundant life to begin with? (John 10:10) If For God so loved the world means God loves all men, why does the wrath of God abide on them still? (John 3:36)

But to say that Christ died only for those whom the Father has given him, having loved his own which were in the world (John 13:1), that he reveals himself only to his sheep and not unto the world (John 14:22), that he prays for sheep and not for the world, the sheep whom the Father has given him (John 17:9), that he lays down his life for these his sheep, and that they will be drawn to Christ to believe, and that they are given eternal life, that he is able to save them to the uttermost, and that no man can pluck them out of the hand of Christ, means that the plan of redemption is impeccably successful. That God's word returned to him accomplishing his purpose. Praise be to God. This is the truth.

Does God loving the world imply he truly does love all men but chooses only some to be saved, which is a contradiction? I answer no. Christ has love only for his bride, and he lays down his life only for her. Does God loving the world save the world? You answer, "whosoever", but the word says, "whosoever believes". One can only believe if one is truly of his sheep to begin with. And one is of his sheep, only because the Father has ordained him as lost, and to be lovingly sought after by the Sheperd, all of this from before the foundation of the world. If God therefore draws all men whom he chose from before the foundation of the world to his Son, then it is a faithful saying that salvation is of the Lord, not of man. And this is the truth.

Let God be true and every man a liar.