BIble Truth #110 - John 10:5-10

John 10:5-10

5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
6  This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

7  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10  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 want to make note of one verse but sent several to provide the correct context. Verse 10 - Jesus came so that THEY might have life, and have it more abundantly. Jesus did not come so that THE WHOLE WORLD might have life, and have it more abundantly - nor did He come so that ALL might have life, and have it more abundantly. He came so that THEY might have life, and have it more abundantly.

Who is the THEY Jesus is referring to? You might say that He is referring to the “any man” in verse 9. To that I agree!! There is, however, a qualifier. Just who will enter in? It won’t be the lost man. Jesus said in John 3:20 that EVERY ONE that does evil (i.e. the lost) hates the Light and WILL NOT come into the Light - EVERY SINGLE ONE. There are no exceptions. The lost will not enter into the Light, they will NOT enter through the door (v9). Only the saved man will enter in.

Jesus is the shepherd of HIS sheep, not all the sheep of the world, and certainly not the goats. Only HIS sheep hear His voice and follow it. To other sheep (ALL the lost), Jesus is a stranger and they will NOT follow his voice, they will run from it. Those were HIS Words in verse 5. So THEY certainly won’t enter in by way of Jesus.

There is another word in verse 10 that many overlook as well. Jesus said, I am come that they MIGHT have life, and that they MIGHT have it more abundantly. As Christians, our eternal life is secure. It was secured in eternity when we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. It was secured in time when God converted us by quickening our dead spirits. Jesus is referring to our physical life. The more we turn our lives over to Him and follow Him, the more we enjoy the life which has been given to us - hence, we have it more abundantly. But because some Christians don’t grow in the faith, or worse, they are carnal, they do NOT have the abundant life God can bless them with. Saved, yes, but NOT “having an abundant life.” This is what He meant when He said “...that they MIGHT have it more abundantly.” - it’s our choice how obedient we will be for which we will be held accountable. But it is STILL God who works in us to will and to do according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Is this not a contradiction? It would seem so to the human mind but not to God.

Bottom Line - Just as sheep don’t get to choose which flock they’re a part of, humans don’t choose whether they will be Christians. Jesus is the shepherd of His sheep, and ONLY His sheep. We become part of His flock when the Good Shepherd puts us in His flock.