Jesus had his challengers! In today’s reading we find people who refuse to believe he is the Christ, their Messiah. And he teaches them: “My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me. . . No one will snatch them out of my hand.”

The Canons of Dort aim to assure us of this teaching too. “This teaching about the perseverance of true believers and saints, and about their assurance of it—a teaching which God has very richly revealed in the Word for the glory of his name and for the comfort of the godly, and which God impresses on the hearts of believers—is something which the flesh does not understand, Satan hates, the world ridicules, the ignorant and the hypocrites abuse, and the spirits of error attack.” God’s enemies will always be at odds with the truth of God’s love and mercy for us.

The Canons go on to say that the church of Christ, “on the other hand, has always loved this teaching very tenderly and defended it steadfastly as a priceless treasure; and God, against whom no plan . . . and no strength can prevail, will ensure that the church will continue to do this. To this God alone, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever. Amen.”

We have the Messiah’s promise. He will never lose us! Nothing and no one can snatch us from his hand. What assurance!