John 10 is a treasure trove of doctrinal truth concerning Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and the Preservation of the saints.
Jesus is the good Shepherd. Not all shepherds are good.
The good Shepherd enters the sheepfold by the door. That door is Jesus Christ, who preaches and teaches the true doctrine of God, the true way of salvation.
This is the same door by which the sheep entered the Lord’s sheepfold.
The sheep hear His voice and follow Him. They will not follow the voice of a false shepherd.
God’s Elect will come out of Mystery Babylon and other cults.
Jesus calls His own sheep by name. “Lazarus come forth.”
The Lord knows those who are His (2Timothy 2:19).
The Lord knew who were His before the foundation of the world (John 15:27).
He knew them because they are the same ones the Father had given Him from eternity (John 17:6).
But not all men are His sheep.
But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you (verse 26).
Please note the Pharisees’ unbelief was due to their not being numbered among Christ’s sheep.
Jesus did not say their unbelief was the cause of their not being numbered as His.
They were not among the Elect, nor were they ever among the Elect.
As a result, they could not and would not believe in Him, despite the innumerable proofs of His Deity given throughout His ministry, including His resurrection.
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine (verse 14).
Christ knows who are His Elect sheep and, as a result of His regenerating them, those same sheep will come to faith in Christ in a saving, personal way.
When the Lord calls His lost Elect sheep, they will hear His call and obediently follow Him.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me (verse 27).
This will occur with those Elect not yet regenerate, whom He calls to faith, as well as those regenerate who may be backsliding in gross sin, whom He calls back to Him, or those regenerate who have been given a new assignment in His Kingdom, who will obediently heed His call.
God’s gracious call to His Elect is irresistible.
Another profound teaching of Jesus is that of His dying on behalf of His sheep and no others.
He plainly tells the Pharisees that He dies only for the sheep, and they are not counted among those sheep:
……… I lay down my life for the sheep (verse 15).
……….ye [Pharisees] are not of my sheep, as I said unto you (verse 26).
Christ did not die on behalf of all mankind.
Jesus clearly and explicitly teaches His atonement was designed and executed strictly on behalf of those Elect sheep given Him by the Father:
My Father which gave them to me….. (verse 29).
Election is of the Father.
Jesus Christ redeems the Elect chosen by the Father.
The Holy Spirit sanctifies these same ones.
They lose none.
There is perfect harmony, accord and consistency in the efficacious unfailing salvific work of the Triune God.