Amen.
The sheep have always been His sheep. The goats have always been goats. That is how God chose to order His creation.
At a time of God's choosing, the Holy Spirit leads us to the truth -- that the shed blood of Christ has paid for our every sin.
Or else what does "redeemed" even mean?
"By our fruits are we known," not "by our fruits are we saved."
What is unfortunate regarding that idea is that we cannot identify the sheep from the goats, from our point of view. Recall the parable of the wheat and the weeds, or more properly, the wheat and cockles? Cockles and wheat look remarkably similar. Thus the order not to try to single out the wheat from the weeds before the harvest. In the same way, we don't know who the elect are, from our point of view.
In John 10, the Evangelist implies that SOME of those in the sheepfold (those of the Church) do NOT follow Christ's voice. We all hear it, but some do not follow it. Only those who HEAR AND FOLLOW will enter into green pasture. All those in the sheepfold are not necessarily sheep, as Christ makes clear:
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." John 10:1
Some are in the sheepfold (Church) who don't belong. Only those who CONTINUE to FOLLOW the voice of the Shepherd are considered "sheep".
Regards
It bears repeating. Excellent point, Dr. E.! :)