John 10:28-30 — Safe and Secure — Aneel Aranha 

Hello and welcome to the Bite-Sized Gospel with Aneel Aranha. Today we will reflect on John 10:28-30. Listen.

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Believers often tend to be insecure about their salvation, unsure if they are truly saved. This passage today should bring about much assurance. After saying that his sheep listen to his voice and follow him, Jesus says no one would snatch them out of his hand. "I give them eternal life and they shall never perish," Jesus says.

This promise of eternal life is profound. It is not a future hope that will begin after we have ended our worldly existence, but an assurance that begins the moment we have accepted Jesus as our Savior — or, to stick to our analogy, shepherd. 

The phrase "they shall never perish" speaks to the enduring nature of this new life. But what should really comfort us is the assertion that no one will snatch us out of Jesus' hand!" It suggests an unbreakable bond, a security that is not just based on the believer's ability to hold on to faith but on Jesus' power to keep them.

Jesus reinforces this security by saying: "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." Jesus shifts the focus to the Father's role. By saying his Father was greater than all, Jesus was underlining the omnipotence of God, implying that the divine protection extended to Jesus' followers is absolute and unassailable. 

Jesus concludes by saying, "I and the Father are one." This statement is not just a claim to divinity but also a reassurance of the strength of the promise made in the preceding verses. The unity of Jesus and the Father suggests that the security offered to the believers is backed by the full authority and power of the divine.

And, in further endorsement (if any was needed), Jesus gave us the third person of the Holy Trinity —his Holy Spirit— as a seal of our redemption. When we come to the faith, we are marked with the Holy Spirit. This marking or sealing by the Holy Spirit signifies ownership and protection. 

Just as a seal in the ancient world indicated authenticity and ownership while protecting the contents, the Holy Spirit marks us as belonging to God, authenticating our identity as children of God and protecting us in our spiritual journey. So, let us enjoy this journey, secure in our faith.

God bless you.