John 10:16 “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”
God said in Ephesians 1:4 “According as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before him in love:” The question must be asked, who are the
“us” in this verse? The word “us” are those who are the elect of God chosen
before the foundation of the world was ever created by God Himself. People who
want to deny the election of God must deny the whole of the scriptures. Some
people say that the doctrine of election means that God was selective of some
and refused others, and this would be true. When God said in John 3:16 “For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God cannot
mean the entire population of the world because God does not lover every soul
who has lived in the world. The greatest example is Esau, God said in Romans
9:13 “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” God
did not come to hate Esau because God never loved Esau. We must remember that
God is eternal, and He never changes, “the Father of lights, with whom is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Jas. 1:17 Therefore, God never
loved Esau, not ever, therefore it must be concluded that God never loved everyone
in the world. God said in Rev. 17:8 “…whose names were not written in the
book of life from the foundation of the world…” If names were
not written, then they are not the elect of God. But it also tells us that
names were written, and written before the foundation of the world.
Now, let us understand that while some claim that the
elect of God are the Jews only, but this cannot be true. God has an elected
nation in Israel and an elected people in those elected from the entire world’s
population. When John wrote “For God so loved the world…” He could have
not included the entire population because not only did God hate Esau, but the
Psalmist also wrote “…thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” Psm.
5:5
With this all being said, we have established that the
elect of God is not only to the Jews but to the Gentiles also let us look
farther into John 10:16. Jesus said, “And other sheep I have, which are not
of this fold…” also making known that while the elected fold included some
Jews, it was not limited to Jews but also some Gentiles. Jesus went on to say “them
also I must bring” that is into this fold which would include the world or
the Jews and Gentiles being in the fold together. But Jesus went farther when
He said, “…they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one
shepherd.” These elect Gentiles would hear His voice and they would
come to Him for salvation, and they, and the Jews would be ONE-FOLD WITH ONE
SHEPHERD. There is no more Jews and Gentiles but one-fold, one Saviour, and one
nation. You cannot be one if you are not one and united in Christ. Jesus said
in His prayer, "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for
them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and
thine are mine; and I am glorified in them." John 17:9 – 10 Here
is the true answer to John 3:16 that He did not include the entire population
but rather the elect from the world, elected before the foundation of the
world. Then in verse 20 we see Jesus add us to His prayer, “Neither pray I for
these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;”
John 17:20 But He never included the entire world.
Before the foundation of the world God had an Elected
fold of souls, He gave this fold to His Son Jesus, and Jesus was born in time
and redeemed them with His blood. This entire fold, both Jews and Gentiles are
one-fold with one Saviour. Jesus said in conclusion, “All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast
out.” John 6:37 Thank you Lord for saving my soul and for making me your
child, inserting me in your fold before the foundation of the world, Amen!
