How secure are you? Does the Bible teach that we have a place in God's family through faith in Jesus, but only keep it as long as we are good? Or is it ″Once a Christian, always a Christian″? Many of our fellow disciples seem to have fallen by the wayside. Is the believer truly secure in their faith?

Jesus speaks of believers as His sheep (v. 27). They listen to Him; are known by Him and follow Him. This is how secure those who fit that description are, ″I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish″ (v. 28). Jesus then vividly illustrates this by saying that we are safe in His cupped hand. He then says we are safe in the cupped hand of the Father, who is greater than all (v. 29). In verse 30, He says that the cupped hand of the Father and of the Son are one, enfolding His sheep and keeping them secure.

We are safe and secure because He has given us eternal life and there is no one strong enough to snatch us away from Him.

Even among those who seem to have fallen, if some are true sheep, He will never let go.

We are weak and naturally wayward. One old shepherd once told me, ″When a lamb is born, its one aim is to die. We have to keep that from happening.″ Neither our willpower nor strength keeps us in God's flock. It is the strength of our Shepherd. We are surrounded by the enticements of the world, and a subtle, lying enemy is out to destroy us.

There is no more profound security for us than to know that the One who called us to be part of the flock, who gave us eternal life, is the One who will see us safely home.

″. . . and the Word was God″ (John 1:1); ″I and the Father are one″ (10:30). The Lord Jesus and God the Father stand together as one in His mission. What the Shepherd God has started, He will bring to completion. Nothing in all creation can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39).