Shepherds' Fellowship

Th doctrine of the Preservation of the saints is a most beautiful teaching that the Scriptures sets forth:

John 6:35-40
"And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me SHALL NEVER hunger, and he who believes in Me SHALL NEVER thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. ALL THAT THE Father GIVES Me WILL COME to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will BY NO MEANS CAST OUT. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, THAT OF ALL He HAS GIVEN Me I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”"

John 10
2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and THE SHEEP HEAR HIS VOICE; and HE CALLS HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME AND LEADS THEM out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, FOR THEY KNOW HIS VOICE. 5 Yet THEY WILL BY NO MEANS follow a stranger, but WILL FLEE from him, for they DO NOT KNOW THE VOICE of strangers.”
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7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, BUT THE SHEEP DID NOT HEAR THEM. 9 I am the door. IF anyone enters by Me, HE WIL BE SAVED, and will go in and out and find pasture.
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14 I am the good shepherd; and I KNOW My SHEEP, and AM KNOWN BY My OWN. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I MUST BRING, and THEY WILL HEAR My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
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24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because YOU ARE NOT OF My SHEEP, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I KNOW THEM, and THEY FOLLOW Me. 28 And I GIVE THEM eternal life, and THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, WHO HAS GIVEN THEM to Me, is greater than all; and NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH THEM OUT OF My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”"


John 17:11-13
"Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, KEEP through Your name those whom You HAVE GIVEN Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I HAVE KEPT; and NONE OF THEM IS LOST except the son of perdition, THAT THE SCRIPTURE MIGHT BE FULFILLED. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves."

John 18:7-9
"Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?”
And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You GAVE Me I HAVE LOST NONE.”"

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5. Perseverance of the Saints

Once God has saved elect sinners, he continues to keep and preserve them by his power and grace and will never let them go. Thus, they persevere to the end and can never be lost. If God did not do this, we would inevitably turn back again to the world, because of the sin that is around us and within us. Thus God enables his children to continue in faith and obedience throughout their earthly lives, then to pass into G

Apologies my post was cut>>>

5. Perseverance of the Saints

Once God has saved elect sinners, he continues to keep and preserve them by his power and grace and will never let them go. Thus, they persevere to the end and can never be lost. If God did not do this, we would inevitably turn back again to the world, because of the sin that is around us and within us. Thus God enables his children to continue in faith and obedience throughout their earthly lives, then to pass into God's presence forever.

This doctrine is not to be taken as a license to go on sinning, as if the believer is free to act in any way he chooses now that he is eternally secure in Christ Jesus. The true believer will show signs of a growing desire for holiness and an increasing loathing of sin. The one who attempts to use the grace of God as an excuse for sinful living is in all probability not a true believer, for where there is spiritual life, the fruit of the Spirit will become evident.

Scripture references:

1 Peter 1:5; James 4:6; Philippians 1:6+19; John 6:39; John 10:28+29; Romans 8:38+39; Romans 8:8; Galatians 5:13-26.

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This aforementioned article can be found at:
http://boerseuntjie.multiply.com/journal/item/4/The_Doctrines_of_Grace_In_the_Spirits_work_of_Salvation_

Your fellow bondslave in the sure mercies of our LORD Christ Jesus Alone,
W

What can seperate us from the powerful love of Christ? Is there anything, anyone? Not even ourselves can seperate us from the love of the Lord, which is in Christ.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.

comment was removed by user

I really did not want to remove my comment but I guess when you doctrinally diasagree with these blogs they are not welcomed. Sorry.

Actually Ray,
I MUST admit that Pulpit Magazine is for use among LIKEMINDED brethren, as stipulated by the Shepherds Fellowship Terms of Use and Association. We are called to first discern the Statement of Belief of the Shepherds Fellowship, and then IF we disagree on some NON-Essentials we are to remain in an attitude of grace in that area. But too often in the Blogosphere people come into an "assembly" of likeminded brethren ONLY to cause discord and strife, therefore certain policies to surpress contentions and disputing (Which are unnecessary and Biblically contrary to the Spirit of grace and truth) from persons outside the community is ONLY reasonable.

If you like:
Imagine people walking into your Church's exposition service or LORD's table service and starting to cause a contention by arguments against the way that you as a Church have set out to do it. They start getting angry and arouse strife, and upset other believers, who have a clear Statement of Belief grounded with Scriptural supports and refrences, that they agree with.

That would be a type of analogy.
1) The person coming in to cause disruption is displaying a spirit contrary to that of the Spirit of the LORD of Scripture.
2) The person would be causing holy and edifying events to possibly become the cause for sinful anger among weaker brethren.
3) The people who have read, studied and affirmed the Statement of Belief of that Church will most likely not budge, as they are convicted of the Spirit by Scripture.
4) Imagine what the unbelieving community will think of the Universal Body of Christ, of the Church concerned and of the person who came in to disrupt it? - In relation to DOING ALL WE DO to the honor and glory of God.
5) These are hardly edifying, Biblical or unifying traits exposed by the person who comes in to prove his own point against a whole congregation. IF you feel strongly about an issue, the Biblical approach is to take the Scriptures to the Elders of the Church to privately ask them to conform to Scripture (Should you feel that they are opposing the WHOLE of Scripture as One Unit).
Then you escalate it BIBLICALLY IF YOU CAN FIND WITNESSES (Other Elders) and HAVE EVIDENCE that sin is being openly committed by the ELDERS (IF THERE IS SUCH).

Once again the fineprint is Important when addressing a crowd in a room - Know your audiance and their weakness, lest you cause any of the "little in faith" to stumble.
If you follow in the example of George Whitefield (As did Rev. Augustus M. Toplady) in his communications to Mr. Wesley, I believe you would do well.

Apart from that, logic would dictate that we NEED NOT go seek arguments with people we have NO ASSOCIATION with (They know you disagree with them!).
If you are NOT LIKEMINDED why bother, I am sure you have mentioned your concerns elsewhere and that we have heard the same arguments from others before you (The Scriptures are Sufficient and our ONLY rule of life and godliness, according with Christ).
If you wish to vent, please use a blog LIKEMINDED to your point of view, I am sure that we may encourage you to speak your conscience, just be gracious about WHERE you do so, because if we started having arguments in the Grocery Market among unbelievers we may cause more damage to Christ, yet in the Forum is the place to discuss Phylosophy and Theology and there we gladly disputate in a manner becoming those who are the children of the Most High God, with respect and honor, in accord with Scriptural commands.

I see no reason to complain or gripe, honestly.

As a bondslave and servant of the Almighty Fear of Isael,
W

William ,
I know of other times when those who disagreed were allowed to write. John himself disagrees with those who call themselves Christians. I just thought this was a blog where there could be an open discussion about scripture but I have found it to be otherwise. What I wanted to post had scripture as the basis. But that is all ok. I am not complaining. and there is no gripe. Those are your words.Just surprised by the close minded attitude.

Hi, Ray. Yes, I remember on the old site when lively debates took place all the time. We were among the few dissenters. Glad to see you're still there.

D. A. Carson said something that I thought was very helpful on this subject. In his commentary on John's Gospel in reference to 6:38-39. A paraphrase of what he said is that if a person were to lose their salvation it would be the the eternal shame of Christ. It would either be that Jesus was not able to fulfill the will of the Father, that he lose none given to him, or that he chose not to obey the the will of the Father. Both should be unthinkable, Christ is omnipotent and in perfect unity with the Father. He is therefore, both able and willing to keep those who he saves in the faith. Praise God that Christ is a willing, able, and perfect savior (Jude 24).