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[John 10:27-29 NASB] 27 My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will 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 the Father’s hand.

I've heard the argument that "no one" is absolute, meaning there are no exceptions, not even the sheep itself, in support of the doctrine of eternal security. However, I find it challenging to square this view with other passages such as Hebrews 6:4-6 and Hebrews 10:26-31:

[Hebrews 6:4-6 NASB] 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

[Hebrews 10:26-31 NASB] 26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has ignored the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Does "no one" include the individual himself?

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Consider this analogy:

  • A person realizes their life is in great danger and hires a reputable security company. The company provides lifestyle rules to ensure their safety. However, out of arrogance and pride, the client ignores the instructions - or even rejects the advice altogether. In the end, they expose themselves to danger and are ultimately destroyed.

When Jesus says that no one can snatch His believers from His hand, this is true - no external force can take them away. Yet this promise does not prevent a person from walking away by their own choice.

In the parable of The Vine and the Branches, Jesus said:

John 15:5-6 (NIV)

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

In conclusion: if we remain in Jesus, no one can snatch us from His hand. But if we choose to walk away, even Jesus will not save us from the consequences.

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  • So "once saved, always saved" is false. Commented Aug 11 at 19:12
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    @user117426 - It is not entirely wrong - but it is overly simplistic to treat it as a free lunch. Consider Matthew 16:24, Jesus says to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Commented Aug 11 at 19:22
  • @VincentWong Can you elaborate on how Matt. 16:24 relates to OSAS? (The only way I can think of is if one uses it to argue for "continued performance is necessary to be saved", i.e. salvation by works, but I definitely don't want to put words in your mouth in this regard.) Commented Aug 11 at 23:59
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    @JoshGrosso - Precious things are never free-and to the Lord, our unwavering faith is most precious of all. Believers are not granted suffering free, but are promised peace in the midst of it. In times of trial, some endure while others falter. Those who hold fast to their faith receive peace from the Lord to persevere; those who deny Him in their suffering forfeit that peace and fall away. In Matt 16:24, the cross represents suffering, and every believer must overcome it to prove their unwavering faith. It is a mistake to substitute works for faith. It is faith that the Lord treasures most. Commented Aug 12 at 13:34
  • @VincentWong Ah, that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying! Commented Aug 12 at 17:02
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Exegesis of "No One"
From a straight-forward reading of these verses, it is apparent that no one refers to other people who are attacking the sheep. This is apparent by the Jesus's use of "them" in His sentence. This word separates the sheep (them) from the "ones who would snatch the sheep."

Look at how Jesus described them:

  • They listen to His voice
  • Jesus knows them
  • They follow Me
  • They receive eternal life
  • They will never perish
  • They are "unsnatchable"
  • They were given by the Father
  • No one is able to snatch them from the Father's hand

No where did Jesus refer to backslidden saints, or those fallen away.

We must be care not to let traditional doctrines act as an over-lay (schematic) on any scripture we are interpreting. Those who teach "eternal security" as they interpret those words, must do so with other verses, not this one.

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