Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:12-14, Luke 15:4-7) (02/01/24)
-
TITLE: The Wandering Sheep | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
02/06/24 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
It is equally important to understand that this parable is not speaking about the loss of salvation, but of the loss of fellowship.
Those who believe salvation can be lost have a cracked 1Cor. 3: 11 foundation.
Ephesians 4: 30 NASB2020 teaches that at the moment of salvation, the soul is permanently “sealed” by the irreversible work of God the Holy Spirit.
To be so sealed, means that one has been marked for identification as a child of God, and is a permanent member of the Shepherd’s fold.
The Matt. 18 parable begins by setting the stage, telling us that the man had 100 sheep, including one that would go astray.
The English phrase “goes astray” is a translation of the inspired Greek words p-l-a-n-e-t-h-e and p-l-a-n-a-o found in the original manuscripts.
They mean that the one who was in the center of the fold was deceived and led out. Once outside of the fold, the wandering sheep steps out from under the beneficial umbrella of divine leadership, logistical care, and fellowship with the Shepherd.
During these periods of time out of fellowship, the wandering sheep retains salvation, but will not be in the frame of mind to produce divine good (1), consequently forfeiting the accompanying reward that he or she could have otherwise stored away, and later received at the 1Cor. 3: 12-15 event in Heaven.
Those who believe that eternal security is a license to sin, have a defective Matt. 7: 24-27 soul structure. We know this because when out of fellowship, the wandering sheep is subject to more frequent and increasing levels of divine discipline (2).
These periods out of fellowship can be as brief as the time it takes to confess (3) a known sin, or for as long as the rest of one’s post salvation spiritual life here on Earth, if known sin is not confessed.
Confessing, but not forsaking (4) the same sin, will cause one to recommit or to continue in the same sin, and to fall back out of fellowship.
Such a believer will spend his or her post salvation spiritual life in a revolving doorway, going in and out of fellowship, and never moving forward in the plan of God.
The Matthew 18 parable tells us that the shepherd goes out seeking the return of the wandering sheep.
Imposing divine discipline, is one of God’s ways of calling wandering sheep back into the fold.
Divine discipline can range in anything from having to live with a guilty conscience, up to and including physical death (5).
I believe that in more times than not, He disciplines His children by simply allowing the inevitable consequences of the negative choices we make, to play themselves out, leaving us with no one to blame but the one we see in the mirror.
A born again believer who confesses a known sin is totally forgiven and is back in the fold (fellowship) with God. So says, 1John 1: 9.
Note however, that the forgiveness of sin and the restoration of fellowship does NOT necessarily mean that all of the consequences of one’s sin are going to go away. The same pain that our sin brought to others, may later come to our own door.
David’s adultery, attempted cover up, and conspiracy to murder the husband of Bathsheba, was totally forgiven, but never the less resulted in the death of David’s child, and a life time of violence and immorality among his family members (6).
The longer the wandering sheep chooses to remain outside of the fold (fellowship with God), the more difficult it becomes for him or her to hear the voice of the Shepherd, calling him or her back into the fold.
There can come a time when it will take experiencing or viewing some of the most severe form(s) of divine discipline to get the attention of a wandering sheep.
The wise believer will hear the voice of the Shepherd (7); confess and forsake his sin (8); return and finish the course (9).
For the spiritually mature believer, just experiencing the impact associated with the loss of fellowship, will be enough to motivate him or her to return to the fold.
All of God’s children have wandered from the straight and narrow way at one time or another (10), but we can return to fellowship with God and finish well.
------
(1) Mark 4: 19 (2) Heb. 12: 6 (3) 1John 1: 9 (4) John 8: 11 (5) Acts 5 (6) 2Sam. 12 (7) Heb. 3: 15 (8) 1John 1: 9/John 8: 11 (9) 2Tim. 4: 7 (10) Romans 3: 23/1John 1: 8
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
