The Nugget:
John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
My Comment:
It may have once been true that all roads lead to Rome, at least in the time of the Roman roads. But not all roads (nor all religions!) lead to heaven! Jesus said He is the door. Therefore, he that does not enter by that door, but climbs up some other way, Jesus said is a thief and a robber. We don’t look too kindly upon a thief or robber, especially when we are the victim. When it comes to receiving eternal life, the only way God has authorized us to receive His gift is through His Son. And as for those who claim that God does not have a Son–guess what, they are prime examples in our day of the thief and robber Jesus talked about. But there are other thieves and robbers out there. They include those who deny the Trinity, those who deny the Deity of Christ, those who deny the Divine inspiration of the Bible, and those who add any other authoritative source of spiritual knowledge, such as Tradition, additional revelations by supposedly inspired prophets or prophetesses, or other supposedly inspired books, and the like. The full truth about God and salvation are to be found only in one place–right between the covers of your Bible. Anyone pointing you to anywhere else is climbing up some other way.
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1185 for John 10:1.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1206 or in Logos 5 Bible software for John 10:1.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:
John 10:1. verily. Jn +1:51. See on Jn 3:3. Mt +5:18. 1 P 1:11. He. ver. 9. Je 14:15. *23:16, 17, 21, 32. 28:15-17. 29:31, 32. Ezk *13:2-6. Jl 2:9. Mt 7:15. 23:16, etc. Ac 1:21. Ro 10:15. Ep 4:8-12. He *5:4. 1 P *1:10. 2 P 2:1. 1 J *4:1. by the door. ver. 7. Jn 1:45. Ezk 46:2. He 5:4-6. the same is a thief. ver. 8, 10. Jn *5:43. Is 56:10-12. Ezk 34:2-5. Zc 11:4, 5, 16, 17. Ro 16:18. 2 C **11:13-15. T 1:11. 2 P 2:3, 14-19. robber. ver. 8. Jn 18:40. Mt +21:13. 2 C 11:26.
psm 119.18 open thou mine eyes, that i may behold wondrous
things out of thy law.
jn 10.1 verily,verily i say unto you, he that entereth not by the door
into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is
a thief and a robber.
encouraging cross references
1. jer 14.15 therefore thus saith the lord concerning the prophets that
prophesy in my name, and i sent them not, yet they say, sword and
famine shall not be in this land; by sword and famine shall those pro-
phets be consumed.
2. jer 23.16-17 thus saith the lord of hosts, hearken not unto the words of
the prophets that prophesy unto you; they make you vain; they speak a
vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the lord. vs 17 they
say still unto them that despise me, the lord hath said, ye shall have peace;
and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own
heart, no evil shall come upon you.
3. jer 23. 32 behold, i am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith
the lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and
by their lightness; yet i sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore
they shall not profit this people at all, saith the lord.
4. jer 28-15 then said the prophet jeremiah unto hananiah the prophet,
hear now, hananiah; the lord hath not sent thee; but thou makest this
people to trust in a lie.
5. jer 30.31 send to all them of captivity, saying, thus saith the lord con-
cerning shemaiah the nehelamite; because that shemaiah hath prophesied
unto you, and i sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:
6. ezk 13.2 son of man, prophesy against the prophets of israel that prophesy,
and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, hear ye the
word of the lord vs 3 thus saith the lord god: woe unto the foolish prophets,
that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
7. mt 7.15 beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheeps clothing, but
inwardly they are ravening wolves.
8. rom 10.15 how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, how
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad
tidings of good things!
9. eph 4.11-12 and he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; vs 12 for the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of christ;
10. 1 pe 1.10 of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched
diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you.
11. 11 pe 2.1 but there were false prophets also among the people, even as
there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves
swift destruction.
12. 1 jn 4.1 beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are
of god; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
13. isa 56.11 yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and
they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way,
every one for his gain, from his quater.
14. rom 16.18 for they that are such serve not our lord jesus christ, but their
own belly;and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple
15. 11 co 11.13-15 for such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming them-
selves into the apostles of christ. vs 14 and no marvel; for satan himself is trans-
formed into an angel of light. vs 15 therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also
be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to
their works.
16. titus 1.11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching
things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
17. 11 pe 2.3 and through covetousness shall they with feinged words make
merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and
their damnation slumbereth not.
18. 11 pe 2.14 having eyes full of adultry, and that cannot cease from sin;
beguiling unstable souls: an heart they excercised with covetous practices:
cursed children:
19. 11 pe 2.15 which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following
the way balaam the son bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
20. 11 pe 2.16 but was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb speaking with mans
voice forbad the madness of the prophet. vs 17 these are wells without water,
clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved
forever. vs 18 for when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean
escaped from them who live in error.
psm 119.62 at midnight i will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy right-
eous judgments.