I Have Lost None: The Fierce Protection of Christ

[bdavidc]

​

This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”
~ John 18:9

When Jesus stood in the garden facing betrayal and arrest, He didn’t just think of Himself. He stepped forward to shield His disciples, saying, “If you seek me, let these go their way” (John 18:8). Then Scripture adds, “This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, ‘Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one’” (John 18:9). That moment wasn’t just about avoiding their arrest, it was about fulfilling a divine promise. Jesus had declared in advance that He would lose none of those given to Him. Not one would be snatched away, not one would fall away under pressure. That wasn’t wishful thinking. It was a declaration of His power and faithfulness.

Earlier, He had said with absolute certainty, “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I should lose nothing” (John 6:39). And again, “They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28). These aren’t metaphors or hopeful ideals, they are promises from the mouth of the Son of God. His protection is not temporary, nor is it weak. He doesn’t lose sheep. He keeps them.

Jesus knew the limitations of His followers. They weren’t ready for chains or crosses. If they had been arrested that night, their faith might have collapsed. But He stepped in. He took the weight. This is not just a historical detail, it is a picture of how He deals with all who belong to Him. We are fragile. We are dust. But we are guarded by the Shepherd who never sleeps, who never fails.

God’s Word affirms this throughout. “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able” (1 Corinthians 10:13). “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Paul asks in Romans 8. His answer? Nothing. Not tribulation, not persecution, not even death. In Christ, we are kept. Not because we are strong, but because He is. He doesn’t merely offer life, He secures it.

This is the unshakable truth: if you are His, you are held. You are guarded. You are safe, not in yourself, but in Him.

 

[Dash RipRock]

This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”
~ John 18:9

John 17:12 - While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Yes, in context Jesus was speaking of the 12 disciples not all who would be born again claiming none of them would ever fall way which we see that some do fall away when we accept the entire counsel of God show in Hos Word not being cherry pickers.

“They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28).

This is ONLY applicable to those that hear His voice and follow the Lord which those who fall away quit doing.

John 10:27-29 - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

No outside third parties (like demons or other people) can force someone out of the Lord's hand, but this is not speaking of people themselves who are fully capable to choosing to depart from the faith as we see in 1 Timothy 4:1,2 and 2 Timothy 4:3,4 and 2 Peter 2:20 to name a few

1 Timothy 4:1,2 - Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron

("depart from the faith" is not referring to sinners in the world who never came to faith in the first place)

2 Timothy 4:3,4 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine (teaching); but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2 Peter 2:20 - For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
Some choose to depart from the faith and quit abiding IN Christ which Jesus spoke of in John 15 speaking of those IN Him who do not bare fruit the Father would cut them off.
John 15:2 - Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

When we get born again we are translated from darkness in to the Kingdom of God's Dear Son (Colossians 1:13) at which point we are IN Christ, so we know Jesus is speaking to and about believers, those who have been born again in John 15

if you are His, you are held.

Sorry but God does not force Himself upon people seeing He has given mankind free will meaning salvation is not all up to the Lord which is what the false doctrines of the calvinists claim so if someone decides to depart the Lord does not save them anyway as they reject the Lord and turn away from Him.

Are you going to also tell us God decides who gets saved and who doesn't?
Or that Jesus only went to the Cross for a few people and everyone else is assigned to hell before they were even born?

These are all calvinist doctrines they got from the devil.

We are fragile

You should get a hold of Ephesians 6:10 - Finally, my brethren, be strong IN THE LORD, and in the power of his might.

Those IN THE LORD are not weak and fragile because they submit to the Holy Spirit and let the Holy Spirit live within them

Romans 8:11 - But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Here's a few more thoughts to ponder

Matthew 7:14 - Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Luke 13:24 - Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

Jesus did say to strive to enter in, and the way this is done in the New Covenant is to abide IN Christ by submitting our lives to Him as we fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12)

I can do all things through Christ Who strengthen me (Philippians 4:13), which is how we strive as we fight the good fight of faith by submitting ourselves unto the Holy Spirit allowing Him to make us strong in God's Word

This is not earning our salvation or doing things in our own strength and ability as the unlearned falsely claim, this is being a true son of God by being led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14) based on God's Word (See John 16:13, and John 17:17) to be obedient to the Lord to abide IN Him.

 

[bdavidc]

John 17:12 - While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Yes, in context Jesus was speaking of the 12 disciples not all who would be born again claiming none of them would ever fall way which we see that some do fall away when we accept the entire counsel of God show in Hos Word not being cherry pickers.



This is ONLY applicable to those that hear His voice and follow the Lord which those who fall away quit doing.

John 10:27-29 - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

No outside third parties (like demons or other people) can force someone out of the Lord's hand, but this is not speaking of people themselves who are fully capable to choosing to depart from the faith as we see in 1 Timothy 4:1,2 and 2 Timothy 4:3,4 and 2 Peter 2:20 to name a few

1 Timothy 4:1,2 - Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron

("depart from the faith" is not referring to sinners in the world who never came to faith in the first place)

2 Timothy 4:3,4 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine (teaching); but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2 Peter 2:20 - For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
Some choose to depart from the faith and quit abiding IN Christ which Jesus spoke of in John 15 speaking of those IN Him who do not bare fruit the Father would cut them off.
John 15:2 - Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

When we get born again we are translated from darkness in to the Kingdom of God's Dear Son (Colossians 1:13) at which point we are IN Christ, so we know Jesus is speaking to and about believers, those who have been born again in John 15



Sorry but God does not force Himself upon people seeing He has given mankind free will meaning salvation is not all up to the Lord which is what the false doctrines of the calvinists claim so if someone decides to depart the Lord does not save them anyway as they reject the Lord and turn away from Him.

Are you going to also tell us God decides who gets saved and who doesn't?
Or that Jesus only went to the Cross for a few people and everyone else is assigned to hell before they were even born?

These are all calvinist doctrines they got from the devil.



You should get a hold of Ephesians 6:10 - Finally, my brethren, be strong IN THE LORD, and in the power of his might.

Those IN THE LORD are not weak and fragile because they submit to the Holy Spirit and let the Holy Spirit live within them

Romans 8:11 - But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Here's a few more thoughts to ponder

Matthew 7:14 - Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Luke 13:24 - Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

Jesus did say to strive to enter in, and the way this is done in the New Covenant is to abide IN Christ by submitting our lives to Him as we fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12)

I can do all things through Christ Who strengthen me (Philippians 4:13), which is how we strive as we fight the good fight of faith by submitting ourselves unto the Holy Spirit allowing Him to make us strong in God's Word

This is not earning our salvation or doing things in our own strength and ability as the unlearned falsely claim, this is being a true son of God by being led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14) based on God's Word (See John 16:13, and John 17:17) to be obedient to the Lord to abide IN Him.

You're mixing up verses and forcing them to say what they don’t. Let’s be clear.
Jesus said, “They shall never perish” (John 10:28). That’s not a maybe, that’s a promise. The Greek is absolute. No one, including the believer, can snatch themselves out of His hand. You say, “yes, but if they stop following.” That’s not what Jesus said. His sheep do follow, and they’re kept. If they don’t keep following, it shows they never truly were His (1 John 2:19).

You quote 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Peter 2:20, and John 15 as if they teach loss of salvation. They don’t. They warn about people who were around the truth, knew it, and walked away, but never had saving faith. That’s not loss of salvation, that’s exposure of a false profession. 2 Peter 2 calls them false teachers, not born-again believers.

John 15 says some branches in Him are taken away. Judas was “in” the group of disciples, but he was never saved. Being near Jesus doesn’t mean being saved by Him. Fruit proves life. No fruit means no true connection.

Also, no one said God forces people to stay saved. What Scripture says is that He keeps His own. Philippians 1:6 says He will finish the work. The ones who fall away never belonged to Him in the first place. You’re turning salvation into a contract God will break if we mess up, when Jesus already said, “I give them eternal life.” Not temporary life.

This isn’t about Calvinism. It’s about believing what Jesus actually said. If you're His, you're secure, not because you're strong, but because He is. That’s not man-made doctrine, that’s the Bible.

 

[Dash RipRock]

Jesus said, “They shall never perish” (John 10:28)

This is ONLY applicable to those that hear His voice and follow the Lord which those who fall away quit doing.

You conveniently left that out.

No one, including the believer, can snatch themselves out of His hand.

Jesus did not say mankind has no ability to turn away because God's Word warns against doing that.

Unless someone wants to make the claim the biblical writers were NOT being led by the Lord to write what they wrote?

1 Timothy 4:1,2 - Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron

("depart from the faith" is not referring to sinners in the world who never came to faith in the first place)

2 Timothy 4:3,4 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine (teaching); but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2 Peter 2:20 - For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

Too bad you have not learned or accepted the whole counsel of God and have chosen to engage in cherry picking.

You quote 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Peter 2:20, and John 15 as if they teach loss of salvation. They don’t.

That's what people who are deceived by the devil in to not accepting what the Lord says keep saying.

Unfortunately for them they have been deceived which is evident in that they reject what the text clearly says.

John 15 says some branches in Him are taken away.

IN HIM is speaking of those who are IN CHRIST

Unless one wants to make the claim Jesus doesn't know what He's talking about - which is exactly what the devil claims about Jesus so it's no surprise that those who have been deceived by the devil and doctrines of demons would say the same thing.

It’s about believing what Jesus actually said.

Which is what the eternal security crowd fails to do time and time again.

They cherry pick what they believe and then reject the rest of what the Lord says on this topic sadly because they are giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils which is why they reject the whole counsel of God

 

[Scott Downey]

The reason Christ loses none is that the Father elected them to faith in His Son.
God gave them to Christ
Christ raises all of those God gave Him on the Last Day
God gifted to them their belief in Christ

You cannot teach on God's saving grace and losing no one whom He gave to Christ without teaching election.
If you try to do that you are misrepresenting the Father and the Son, and at best you are spiritually ignorant of truth and at worst you are a false teacher.

John 6
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will [f]by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Remember what you said, it is about believing what Jesus actually says.

 

[Scott Downey]

John 10​

The Shepherd Knows His Sheep​

22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in [d]doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.

26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, [e]as I said to you.

27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone 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 My Father’s hand.

30 I and My Father are one.”

The Father gave to Christ His believers
The Father granted them to believe in His Son.
If you deny this you Deny the Father's own words and His Son's words, then you're a false teacher.
Maybe you like your false theology, but it won't win you any praise from Christ and God.

Philippians 1
27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but [f]to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

 

[Scott Downey]

For by grace you have been saved
Your salvation is not of yourself, is the gift of God
Your faith comes to you through Christ who is the author and finisher of our faith

Acts 3:16
And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

 

[bdavidc]

The reason Christ loses none is that the Father elected them to faith in His Son.
God gave them to Christ
Christ raises all of those God gave Him on the Last Day
God gifted to them their belief in Christ

You cannot teach on God's saving grace and losing no one whom He gave to Christ without teaching election.
If you try to do that you are misrepresenting the Father and the Son, and at best you are spiritually ignorant of truth and at worst you are a false teacher.

John 6
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will [f]by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Remember what you said, it is about believing what Jesus actually says.

My OP was not intended to initiate or engage in debates concerning Calvinism, predestination, or election doctrines.

 

[Sister-n-Christ]

You're mixing up verses and forcing them to say what they don’t. Let’s be clear.
Jesus said, “They shall never perish” (John 10:28). That’s not a maybe, that’s a promise. The Greek is absolute. No one, including the believer, can snatch themselves out of His hand. You say, “yes, but if they stop following.” That’s not what Jesus said. His sheep do follow, and they’re kept. If they don’t keep following, it shows they never truly were His (1 John 2:19).

You quote 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Peter 2:20, and John 15 as if they teach loss of salvation. They don’t. They warn about people who were around the truth, knew it, and walked away, but never had saving faith. That’s not loss of salvation, that’s exposure of a false profession. 2 Peter 2 calls them false teachers, not born-again believers.

John 15 says some branches in Him are taken away. Judas was “in” the group of disciples, but he was never saved. Being near Jesus doesn’t mean being saved by Him. Fruit proves life. No fruit means no true connection.

Also, no one said God forces people to stay saved. What Scripture says is that He keeps His own. Philippians 1:6 says He will finish the work. The ones who fall away never belonged to Him in the first place. You’re turning salvation into a contract God will break if we mess up, when Jesus already said, “I give them eternal life.” Not temporary life.

This isn’t about Calvinism. It’s about believing what Jesus actually said. If you're His, you're secure, not because you're strong, but because He is. That’s not man-made doctrine, that’s the Bible.

You will find the fall back in most forums like this community is to directly accuse or imply someone's defense of scripture is Calvinism.

 

[Scott Downey]

You will find the fall back in most forums like this community is to directly accuse or imply someone's defense of scripture is Calvinism.

You can expose falsehoods taught by them about scripture pretty quickly when quoting the scriptures about truths they don't like.
And when we share the truth about the election, and they get angry, it is not us turning them against God's words, they already did that to themselves.

I would say the doctrine of election is about the most basic and clearly explained doctrine in the New Testament, yet they deliberately deny it, or they push it down to the lowest levels. This doctrine is not like Eschatology.

 

[Dash RipRock]

My OP was not intended to initiate or engage in debates concerning Calvinism, predestination, or election doctrines.

These topic are part of the discussion if one claims salvation is God doing everything and man had no part to play.

1 Corinthians 3:9 - For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

John 15:1,2 - I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

A lot of folks refuse to let what God says in His Word get in the way of what they believe, such as following false calvinism, predestination, or election doctrines