The apostle John wrote how the formally blind man told the Pharisees who questioned him, “Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered and said unto him, you were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us? And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Do you believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, You have both seen him, and it is he that talks with you. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, We see; therefore your sin remains”, and in chapter ten and verse one of his book John shared how Jesus said, “He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber”, where we read:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold,
but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
The verse reads, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, ...” John began with the words, “Verily, verily” which means “truly, truly or surely or surely”, “I say unto you” or “I, Jesus, utter, declare and proclaim to the people listening to Him”, “He that enters not” which means “the person whether male or female who does not make entrance or come in” “by the door” or “through the means of the opening, entrance, way or passage” “into the sheepfold” which means “to the group of sheep”. John shared how Jesus told the people listening to Him that anyone who “does not come in or make entrance into” the “fold” of “sheep” will be recognized as follows.
The verse continues, “... but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” John added the words, “but climbs up” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding or moreover ascends, arises and springs up” “some other way” or “from elsewhere or from another place”, “the same is a thief” which means “the person who ascends another way exists as an embezzler, stealer or pilferer” “and a robber” or “and a plunderer, freebooter and brigand”. John shared how Jesus said anyone who “ascends” through the “door into the sheepfold” in another “way” is an “embezzler, pilferer, plunderer and freebooter”.
When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus stated that He alone is the way to be a part of the “sheepfold” of God. Anyone who attempts to be a part of the Kingdom of God in another way exists as a “thief and robber”. Those titles are not very desirable, and because Jesus was sent to be the “Savior and Lord” of the world, anyone who believes and trusts in Him will be forgiven of their sins and never known as “embezzlers and freebooters”. God desires to have a personal relationship with every person who yields to His Son Jesus, and any other way to become a part of the “sheepfold” makes those who attempt it as ones who “steal” from God.
Next time John shares how Jesus says, “he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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