Pay attention!
Verse 7 does not say a lost sheep. It is a lost SINNER. The previous verses are talking about lost sheep(out of fellowship, saved right now, having eternal life, never perishing SHEEP.)
A lost sheep names and sites their sins to God.1 John 1:9(I found MY sheep.) Heaven rejoices!
In the same way heaven rejoices when a lost sinner BELIEVES on the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 16:31,John 3:16.
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
- What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them
- Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!
Jesus uses the parable of the lost sheep to describe a reality among His people.
Jesus explains the parable of the sheep and correlates it to actual people in verse 7.
- I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
A Christian who wanders away and becomes lost is no longer justified [declared right with God], and has returned to being a sinner in need of repentance, or remain lost.
Matthew's version shows us what Jesus taught about dealing with such a person, and in context shows us the principle of forgiveness and unforgiveness.
“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. “
Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Matthew 18:12-17
- If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?
- And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
Jesus defines the steps to take,
to go after a person who has sinned against you to get them to repent:
- “Moreover [likewise] if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
- If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
- But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’
- And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
James says it this way -
Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20
- Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth
- and someone turns him back
- let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way
- will save a soul from death
Found = Reconciled to God: Justified - Declared to be right with God.
Lost = Seperated from God. Unjust. Unrighteous. A Sinner in need of repentance.
For one of His sheep to become lost, it must first belong to the Shepherd.
JLB
