Christianity is an exclusive religion

[minsdad21]

Day 20 – Gatekeepers

“In Bible times a shepherd would sleep in the opening of a desert pen to personally guard the only access to his precious livestock.” (P.141)

Like a sheep following its shepherd, we need to follow our good shepherd, Jesus Christ, because He is our Gate. And that tells us, we can go in and rest in His security. As the sheep came in at night, the shepherd would tenderly examine each one for injuries, rub oil on wounds, and water those that were thirsty. Then, once all the sheep were settled in for the night, the shepherd would often fill the gap or the opening by himself. He would simply lie down at the entrance, to keep the sheep in and the predators out. The shepherd became the gate. That gate or door is our entry point into ultimate security. The gate spiritually represents what the Bible calls eternal life. As he said elsewhere, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), Jesus alone is our Gate. He is our entry point not only to heaven but to abundant life now, to a relationship with the God who made us and loves us.
Yes, Christianity is an exclusive religion, because Jesus Himself said, “I am the gate.” We come to the Heavenly Father through Him and nobody else. But Christianity is also inclusive because Jesus welcomes all who will come. God’s will is that no one would perish, but all receive eternal life (2 Peter 3:9). Once we’re in that Jesus’ sheep pen, our Good Shepherd will protect us from the evil one. We can trust Him. But do we really trust Him or do we trust in other worldly things? Or in our abilities?
Where do we find ultimate security? How do we protect from the evil one who has come to steal, kill, and destroy? There is only one way. We trust in the one who has come to bring us life and life to the full, life more abundantly. We trust in the one who has laid down his life for us, the ultimate proof of his goodness, of His love. The Apostle John would later describe in the book of Revelation a scene in heaven, where he said, “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).
Thank You Jesus that You are our good shepherd and You alone are our gate and the door.