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John 10.7-18
Jul. 15th, 2009 11:00 amThen said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
I read this this morning. I just can't get tired of the gospel of John.
I particularly like the part that says "other sheep I have, which are not of this fold". It's talking about the fact that Jesus came to save Gentiles, not just Jews - but I can't help but feel that it could also apply to today. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of Christian factions and denominations in the world these days, and I have no doubt each one has genuine believers in Christ right along with the fakes.
I think, though, that as we get closer and closer to the end there will come a time where there are no more denominations: everyone will be, truly, of one fold. Meaning that for the genuine believers, there will be a return to the purity of the Scriptures and a shedding of all the additions and deceptions of men.
Something similar happened in the early church as well. The first believers were Jews who were not just following God's law, but also in bondage to the countless rules and regulations written by the teachers of the law as "safeguards". Through the salvation of Jesus they were able to shed all the man-made rules (and the sacrificial system) and get back to the purity of what it means to live for God.
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
I read this this morning. I just can't get tired of the gospel of John.
I particularly like the part that says "other sheep I have, which are not of this fold". It's talking about the fact that Jesus came to save Gentiles, not just Jews - but I can't help but feel that it could also apply to today. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of Christian factions and denominations in the world these days, and I have no doubt each one has genuine believers in Christ right along with the fakes.
I think, though, that as we get closer and closer to the end there will come a time where there are no more denominations: everyone will be, truly, of one fold. Meaning that for the genuine believers, there will be a return to the purity of the Scriptures and a shedding of all the additions and deceptions of men.
Something similar happened in the early church as well. The first believers were Jews who were not just following God's law, but also in bondage to the countless rules and regulations written by the teachers of the law as "safeguards". Through the salvation of Jesus they were able to shed all the man-made rules (and the sacrificial system) and get back to the purity of what it means to live for God.
