In John chapter 10, verse 26, Jesus said to the rebellious Pharisees, you do not believe because you are not of my sheep.

Calvinists take this verse to mean that God has chosen certain individual sheep or elect

people before the foundation of the world and changes their heart to cause them to believe

through an irresistible work of grace.

In other words, the Calvinist is taking Jesus' words to mean that God did not really want these Pharisees to come to faith because he had not chosen them unconditionally before the world began.

But is this really what Jesus means? Consider that Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. He longs to gather them like a mother hen gathers her chicks. He holds out his hands to them all day long,

with patience and long-suffering, as a gracious God desiring all to be saved.

A more consistent interpretation of Jesus' words is to understand that sheep are followers.

And so Jesus is simply saying,

you do not follow me, the shepherd,

because you did not follow my father who sent me.

This is a theme throughout the Gospel of John.

Jesus said in John 819,

If you knew me, you would know my father also.

In John 842, Jesus said, you would know my father also.

In John 842, Jesus said, if God were your father, you would love me, for I have come

here from God, and I have not come on my own.

God sent me.

In verse 47, Jesus said, whoever belongs to God, here's what God says.

The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.

In John 14, 7, Jesus said,

If you really know me, you will know my father as well.

...