Complete English translation
Introduction:
Many people use the verse "Even the devil believes and trembles" (James 2:19) to underestimate the teaching of salvation by faith. They said, "If only believing is enough to be saved, it means that even the devil can be saved!"
This statement shows a wrong understanding of what true faith is. Saving faith is not just acknowledging God's existence, but a living faith in a relationship with Jesus as the true Shepherd.
Today we will discuss:
1️⃣ God's Promise to His Sheep - What does God promise to His people?
2️⃣ Characteristics of God's Lamb - How can we recognize whether we are really His sheep?
3️⃣ How to Be a Sheep, Not a Wolf - What is the difference between true faith and false faith?
By understanding this truth, we do not need to be afraid of criticism or confusion. Instead, we can rejoice in the guarantee of salvation that God gives to His sheep!
1️⃣ God's Promise to His Lamb
As a good Shepherd, God not only calls us to be His sheep, but also gives unwavering promises. This promise is not based on human effort, but on God's own love and loyalty.
Let's see what God promised to His sheep:
✅ God's Lamb Gets Eternal Life
"I gave them eternal life, and they will not perish forever, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." (John 10:28)
📌 This promise shows that the salvation of God's sheep is eternal and cannot be undone.
✅ God's Lamb is Guarded by the Father Himself
"My Father, who gave them to Me, is greater than anyone, and no one can snatch them from the Father's hand." (John 10:29)
📌 God himself takes care of us. There is no power that can take us from His hand.
✅ God's Lamb Will Not Be Rejected
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me, I will not cast him away." (John 6:37)
📌 Anyone who truly comes to Jesus will never be rejected or expelled.
✅ The Lamb of God Gets a Guarantee of Resurrection
"This is the will of him who sent me, that of all that he has given me, nothing may be lost, but that I may raise it up in the last days." (John 6:39)
📌 Salvation is not only in this world, but also in eternal life with God.
✅ God's Lamb is Protected from the Enemy
"I am a good shepherd. A good shepherd gives his life for his sheep." (John 10:11)
"But God is faithful. He will strengthen your heart and keep you from evil." (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
📌 God not only protects us from destruction, but also from the enemy's tricks.
🔥 Conclusion of God's Promise to His Sheep 🔥
God's sheep cannot perish, will not be lost, and will not be separated from His hands. All these promises do not depend on our efforts, but on God's own faithfulness.
📖 Romans 8:38-39: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor the angels, nor the rulers, nor the present, nor the future, nor the powers, whether above, nor below, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord."
This is the eternal guarantee for God's sheep! 🙌
2️⃣ Characteristics of God's Lamb
Being God's sheep is not only about confessing to believe, but also has special signs that distinguish them from sheep that do not belong to God. These characteristics are not a requirement to be a sheep, but are the fruit and proof that someone is really God's sheep.
Let's do self-introspection: Are we really God's sheep, or just claiming to believe?
✅ The Lamb of God Hears and Follows the Voice of the Shepherd
"My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me." (John 10:27)
📌 The true sheep recognizes the voice of God and follows it. They not only hear the Word, but also obey it.
❓ Reflection: Do we really recognize God's voice through His Word? Do we live according to His will or just religion?
✅ The Lamb of God Does Not Follow the Voice of Strangers
"But they will not follow others, but they will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." (John 10:5)
📌 The true sheep will not be lost by false teachings. They recognize the difference between God's voice and the voice of misguidance.
❓ Reflection: Are we easily tempted by false teachings or remain faithful to the truth of God's Word?
✅ God's Lamb Lives in a Group of Sheep (Communion)
"Let's not distance ourselves from our worship meetings, as some people usually do, but let's advise each other." (Ibrebs 10:25)
📌 Sheep were not created to live alone! True sheep live in fellowship, because they strengthen each other.
❓ Reflection: Do we appreciate fellowship with fellow believers or prefer to walk alone?
✅ God's Sheep Bears Fruit in His Life
"Every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit." (Matthew 7:17)
📌 The true sheep produces fruit in its life: love, kindness, patience, and truth.
❓ Reflection: Does our life reflect true change and produce the fruit of the Spirit?
✅ Lord's Sheep Has a Tendency to Get Lost, but the Shepherd Will Look for Them
"We are all like lost sheep, each of us takes his own way." (Isaiah 53:6)
"He left the ninety-nine in the mountains and went looking for the one who went astray." (Matthew 18:12)
"The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost." (Luke 19:10)
📌 True sheep may be lost, but God will not let them go lost.
❓ Reflection: Do we realize that when we fall, God always looks for us back and brings us home?
🔥 Conclusion of the Characteristics of God's Lamb 🔥
The Lamb of God hears His voice, does not follow foreign voices, lives in fellowship, has a tendency to get lost but is always rediscovered, and bears fruit in his life.
📖 2 Corinthians 13:5 - "Test yourself, whether you are upright in faith. Investigate yourself! Don't you realize that Christ Jesus is in you? Otherwise, you can't stand the test."
Are we really God's sheep? If we see these signs in our lives, then we can rejoice! But if not, it's time to come to the True Shepherd.
3️⃣ How to Become a Sheep and Not a Wolf
Not everyone who claims to believe in God is really His sheep. Jesus himself warned that there was a wolf in sheep's clothing that looked like a follower of God, but was not known by Him (Matthew 7:22-23).
So, how can someone be a real sheep and not a wolf in sheep's clothing?
✅ 1. Believe That Salvation Is God's Gift, Not The Result Of Your Own Efforts
"For by grace you are saved by faith; it is not the fruit of your labor, but the gift of God, it is not the fruit of your work: let no one boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
📌 Salvation is not about human effort, but about God's grace.
💡 Wolf sign: They think that salvation must be obtained by their own efforts - by obeying the law, doing good, paying tithes, or diligently worshiping. They didn't really believe that Jesus had finished everything on the cross.
❓ Reflection: Do we believe that salvation is God's grace or are we still trying to "help" God with our actions?
✅ 2. Rejecting Arrogance in Good Deeds
"All our piety is like a dirty cloth." (Isaiah 64:6)
📌 No human deed is good enough to be saved.
💡 Wolf sign: They boast of their obedience and judge others who are not like them. They think that their goodness is higher in the eyes of God than other people.
❓ Reflection: Do we rely on Jesus or ourselves on our faith journey?
✅ 3. Known by God, Not Just Knowing God
"Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, do we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and perform many miracles in your name? At that time I will be open to them and say: I never knew you! Get away from Me, you evildoers!" (Matthew 7:22-23)
📌 Being God's lamb is not about knowing God intellectually, but about being known by God.
💡 Wolf sign: They focus on external actions – serving, performing miracles, preaching – but have no personal relationship with God.
❓ Reflection: Do we only know about God, or are we really known by God in a living relationship?
✅ 4. Recognizing God's True Love
"In this way God's love is revealed in our midst, that God has sent His only Son into the world, that we may live by Him." (1 John 4:9)
📌 Salvation begins with the recognition of God's true love. We don't deserve to receive this love, but God still gives it.
💡 Wolf sign: They claim to believe, but have never personally experienced God's love. Their faith is only limited to theory, not a personal relationship with the Shepherd.
❓ Reflection: Do we really realize God's extraordinary love for us?
🔥 Conclusion of How to Become a Real Sheep 🔥
✅ True sheep experience God's love, believe that salvation is a gift, reject arrogance in deeds, and live in a real relationship with God.
❌ Wolves in sheep's clothing are only religious, rely on good deeds, and never experience God's true love.
📖 Romans 10:9 – "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved."
Be a real sheep, not a wolf in sheep's clothing! 🔥
🔹 Conclusion: Real Sheep or Sheep-Hairy Wolf? 🔹
Jesus said that the door to life is narrow and many think they are on the right path, but they are lost (Matthew 7:13-14).
Today, we have seen God's promise to His sheep, the characteristics of a true sheep, and how to distinguish a sheep from a wolf in sheep's clothing. Now, the question we have to ask ourselves is:
👉 Am I really God's sheep, or just a religious person?
👉 Do I believe in Jesus and His love, or do I still depend on my own actions?
💔 For those who still rely on good deeds for salvation, this will be a painful message.
Relying on our obedience to obtain salvation is the greatest form of spiritual arrogance. We are no better than the Pharisees, who think that they can be accepted by God because of their obedience to the law. In fact, they were rejected by Jesus.
📖 Galatians 2:16 - "For we know, that man is justified not by the works of the law, but only by faith in Christ Jesus."
💖 But for those who really want to find the truth, this is good news!
God does not ask us to be perfect before coming to Him. He only asks us to believe in Him, surrender, and follow Him as a good Shepherd.
📖 Matthew 11:28 - "Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, I will give you relief."
🔥 The choice is now in your hands:
Will we be the true sheep who know the Shepherd, or keep deceiving ourselves with deeds that seem right but are empty before God?
📖 Romans 3:27 – "Where is our glory? Nothing! Based on which law? Based on actions? No, but by faith!”
Today, choose to be God's true sheep. Don't wait until it's too late. Do not let religious pride overshadow the grace that God has provided for you.
💡 Jesus has opened the door. Do you want to come in?