Spiritual salvation is like three young sheep belonging to a good shepherd. In disobedience to their master the shepherd, these sheep strayed out of the midst of the flock into the wilderness, having been deceived by a crafty lion that the shepherd was merely enslaving and limiting them, and that there was greener pasture outside the sheepfold if only they would follow him. When the master discovered the absence of the sheep, he persistently called them back but they refused to heed his call.

Now alone and unprotected in the wilderness, the wild roaring lion turned upon them suddenly intending to kill and devour them. It is interesting to note that their reactions to this development were quite different:

The first sheep suddenly realised that neither the lion nor his word could be trusted. That there was in fact no “greener pasture” anywhere outside his former master’s flock. With great regret about his absconding and previous rebellion, but joyful that he still had the opportunity of another chance, he quickly ran back to his owner, the good shepherd who gladly welcomed him back – no questions asked. To top it, the shepherd also adopted him as a son.

The second sheep also saw immediately that it was no longer safe to stay with the lion, so he ran! He had now realized that the shepherd was the true master. However, he still resented the lifestyle within the sheepfold but rather believed the word of the lion that the life outside the sheepfold was to be desired over and above the word of the shepherd who was too old and outdated. So, he went back to the sheepfold and entered by a side-door so as to avoid contact with the shepherd who was at the gate. He consequently mingled with the other sheep of the flock though he neither had renewed contact with the shepherd nor believed his word. So, while this sheep was physically back at the sheepfold, he remained a total stranger within the fold – both to the shepherd and the other sheep.

The third sheep on his own part, did not bother to run away. He felt that his colleagues had seriously exaggerated the situation. He also believed that the lion would still lead him to the promised greener pasture. But just to be cautious, he queried the lion on the matter who craftily assured him of his good intentions. He gave “proof” of this by leading the sheep to a neutral (third-party) able-looking shepherd with a very large flock of sheep and goats, herds of camels, cattle, swine and all manner of animals. The lion told him, “This is just an example of the numerous ways available of finding life fulfillment outside the sheepfold – and, you see, I am not even involved!” “This must be it!” the lost sheep said to himself. He promptly joined the crowd. But unknown to him, this new shepherd was actually an employee of the very lion that was escorting him and the impressive large gathering that he just saw belonged to the lion from where he picked at will to devour anytime he was hungry.

Like the three sheep, all men have sinned (having been led away from God, by Satan via Adam,) and have come short of the glory of God. God does not wish anyone to perish but to come to repentance. He who repents and goes back to Jehovah God in Christ Jesus, as the first sheep did, is truly saved and has become a child of God. He who does not repent at heart but goes back anyhow – just to identify with God has merely entered a life of presumption. Such persons indeed may appear saved, but theirs is a false salvation. They are only nominally saved – which is no salvation at all. They are not children of God but strangers in His household. Finally, he who tries to save himself by following any other way apart from the Way specified by God will discover to his chagrin and eternal damnation that all other ways are in the final analysis, under the control of Satan, the roaring lion. Such a person who has utterly refused to hear the call of the Master and has decided, like the third sheep, to stay with the devil, will doubtless suffer the same faith of condemnation and eternal death.

Thus we see the three spiritual groups of human beings – the saved, the nominal and the condemned.

The saved are those who accept the word of God as well as identify with Him by confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. They therefore have the Holy Spirit dwelling in their own regenerated spirit. They are said to be Born Again and are found in the Church serving the Lord who saved them.

The nominal are those who do not accept the word of God to believe and confess the name of Christ unto salvation, but all the same maintain an external and behavioural identification with God. They neither repented of their sins nor believed in their hearts nor confessed with their mouths that Jesus died for their sins. These are the “Born Wùrùwúrú” (Yoruba for something hastily and improperly done). They are impersonators. Counterfeit Christians. Like the Saved, they are also found in the church (or organisations appearing like the church) purporting to serve the Lord they do not know.

The condemned are the people who both reject the word of Jehovah God and also refuse to identify with Him. They despise His call (which He has made through Jesus Christ). They reject the person, divinity, ministry or sacrifice of Christ. In effect, they have called Jesus accursed. Such people are the spiritually Unborn.

The question should now be answered, "Which group do you, dear reader, belong to?" If you are not saved yet, I invite you to do so now by believing in the finished work of Christ and confessing Him as your Saviour.