Lesson 1077

(Lesson 1077)(08-27-14) John 10:1-6

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them."

In today's quote, Jesus made a very important point in a very few words. When speaking of His plan of salvation (the operation of God), He said; "He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." Jesus Himself is that "door".

There are millions of people, the world over, who are trying to "climb up" into everlasting life by subjecting themselves to worldly rituals such as water baptisms, and living under the pretense of doing "good works" of the law, rather than simply entering in at that "strait gate" through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Those Jews to whom Jesus was speaking, in today's quote, believed they could achieve eternal life through obedience to the Law of Moses simply because they were Jews. The vast majority of them never realized that they could never live according to the law and that the Law was established to show them they needed something more to redeem themselves: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20)

Paul clearly says that it is not the physical things we do here on earth that justifies our sins, but rather it is the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed into those of us who place our faith in His righteousness.~