“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:14-16)
In life as well as on the Internet and social media there are groups which are exclusive. This means they admit only those as members with whom they share a common bond or who agree with their beliefs. Those who do not fit in are not allowed access, they cannot comment on that page or website or represent that group in any way. The one who controls access, who decides who can and cannot join or participate in that group is called a gatekeeper.
Jesus is the gatekeeper for the Kingdom of God. The only way in is through Him. The metaphor of Him as the good a shepherd enhances this idea because only those sheep that belong to Him get in for He, like a shepherd, is the door. He knows which sheep belong in His fold and they know Him. They recognize His voice, that is, they know and believe in Him by faith as their Lord and Savior. These are the only ones He allows into God’s Kingdom. And, like the shepherd, His sheep trust Him and depend on Him for everything.
Such a teaching is considered unacceptable in our cancel culture, which rejects God’s Word and authority in favor of individual relativism. Our culture maintains that all religions are equally valid so that there are many ways to God, to heaven or paradise or nirvana, not just one. But that is illogical as we examine the assertion that Jesus made. There are, logically only four possible assumptions we can make about Jesus, only one of which can be true.
1. He is a liar.
2. He is insane.
3. He has a demon.
4. He is who He says He is.
The first three assumptions do stand up to the evidence of the life of Jesus. He was a kind, compassionate, and loving teacher who spoke with authority, grace, and wisdom. He touched people and healed their diseases. He raised at least three people from the dead. He cast demons out of many men and women. These are not the actions of an evil man, a liar, a crazy person, or someone demonically possessed. Thus we are forced to conclude that one who does and speaks such good and righteous things cannot be a liar, or insane, or demonic. He must be who He claims to be. He must be God.
And, logically, there can be only one God, only one supreme, all-powerful being. And since Jesus is that Being, there can be no other. So as much as we hate to admit this, there is only one way to God, only one pathway to eternal life. That is through Jesus. Thus Jesus does not allow us the option of believing that faith in any other being, idol or god can save a person, can bring them peace, happiness, or eternal life.