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Does Jesus Mean in John 10:26 that Some People Are Pre-selected for Salvation?
Question: In John 10:26 Jesus says, “you do not believe because you are not my sheep.” Does this mean there are certain people who are already pre-called to be followers of Christ and others who, even after hearing the gospel, will never believe because they’ve been ordained not to?
Answer: I believe it does mean that. But the full testimony of Scripture is that there is an election to salvation, but there is also a full responsibility of humans in their decision making. Romans 9 is the passage that asserts these two truths together. See my article here. A book that is very helpful in understanding these two concepts, which seem contradictory, is Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, by J. I. Packer. He introduces the concept of antinomy, the holding of two apparently contradictory truths as both true. He cites the example of light, which is some tests appears to be formed by waves, and in other by particles, which seems scientifically contradictory, yet both are true.
About the Author Randall Johnson
A full-time pastor since 1979, Randall originally graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) in 1979 and from Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin) in 1998. He is married with four grown children and a pile of epic grandchildren.
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