THE ROPE!

By Arthur Pink

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

John 10:27-29,
"My sheep listen to My voice;
 I know them, and they follow Me.
 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
 no one can snatch them out of My hand.
 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all;
 no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand!"

No stronger passage in all the Word of God, can be found guaranteeing the absolute security of every child of God.

Note the seven strands in the rope which binds them to God:

First, they are Christ's sheep, and it is the duty of the Great Shepherd to care for each of His flock! To suggest that any of Christ's sheep may be lost, is to blaspheme the Shepherd Himself!

Second, it is said "They follow" Christ, and no exceptions are made. The Lord does not say they ought to, but declares they do follow Him. If the sheep "follow" Christ—then they must reach Heaven, for that is where the Good Shepherd has gone!

Third, to the sheep is imparted "eternal life". To speak of eternal life ending, is a contradiction in terms.

Fourth, this eternal life is "given" to them. They did nothing to merit it, consequently they can do nothing to demerit it.

Fifth, the Lord Himself declares that His sheep "shall never perish!" Consequently, the man who declares that it is possible for a child of God to go to Hell, is calling God a liar.

Sixth, from the Shepherd's hand none is able to snatch them. Hence the Devil is unable to encompass the destruction of a single one of them.

Seventh, above them is the Father's hand. Hence it is impossible for them to jump out of the hand of Christ, even if they tried to. It is impossible for one of Christ's sheep to perish, even if it desired to—as though one ever did!

Christian! The hand of Christ is beneath us—and the hand of the Father is above us. Thus are we secured between the clasped hands of Omnipotence!

It has been well said, that if one soul who trusted in Christ should be missing in Heaven—then there would be one vacant seat there, one crown unused, one harp unstrung; and this would grieve all Heaven, and proclaim a disappointed God. But such a thing is utterly impossible!

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!" Romans 8:1

"For I am convinced that . . .
 neither death nor life,
 neither angels nor demons,
 neither the present nor the future,
 nor any powers,
 neither height nor depth,
 nor anything else in all creation,
 will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!"
Romans 8:38-39