JESUS IS THE DOOR

John 10:9

Morning Meditation 5/1/2013

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

These are the thoughts that are coming to me during my time of meditation this morning

The words "I am" translate two words, "ego" and "eimi." In the Greek text you can say "I am" with just one of these words, i.e., "eimi." Personal pronouns are attached to the endings of Greek verbs. Just this one word (eimi) is translated "I am" in Matthew 3:1l by John the Baptist; it is translated by this one word in Matthew 8:9 by the centurion who ask Jesus to heal his servant. He said to Jesus "I am (eimi) under authority." Then it is used by Jesus in Matthew 11:29 where he said, "I am meek and lowly in heart..." But when the emphasis is on the "I" in the "I am" the Greek personal pronoun (ego) is used. Jesus is identifying himself in this verse as the Jehovah God who revealed himself to Moses as "I AM THAT I AM" in the burning bush. Have you ever felt like, when you were reading that passage in Exodus that God revealed himself as an unfinished sentence? Well, it was enough to satisfy Moses. But when Jesus came he filled in the sentence. In this particular verse Jesus says "I am the Door." Jesus did this several times in the New Testament. He said, "I am (ego eimi) the Light of the world (John 8:12) and "I am (ego eimi) the true vine (John 15:1). There are several of these where we have Jesus using the combination of "ego eimi." But here he says "I am the door."

What does Jesus intend to teach by identifying himself with the Door? The door speaks of access. I remember Bro. Lester Roloff emphasizing this as only he could. He said Jesus said, "I am THE (Caps mine) Door. Not a door." He would say, "Jesus is not just any old door. He is not one of many doors. He says he is THE door because he is the ONLY door." The holiness of God is a barrier wall without Jesus as the door.

Jesus speaks of access in Romans 5:1-2: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." The words "by whom also we have access" is speaking of the way through that barrier wall. Paul is speaking in Romans to those who have been justified by faith. The words "we have" when speaking of "access" is a perfect active indicative verb. The perfect tense refers to completed action in the past, that completed action having present results. This means the access of which Paul speaks was gained in the past with the result that the access remains. This meaning is two fold. Jesus gained access through the barrier wall of God's holiness at the cross. The veil into the holiest was rent from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51 and compare Heb. 10:20) as Jesus died on the cross. Then Paul was taking them back to their personal experience of salvation. That is where they personally entered that door. So the Door is where we have access.

The words "by me if any man enter in" indicate the universal opportunity. Jesus is the door and all men are invited to enter. 2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." The suggestion here is that Jesus is waiting in "longsuffering" toward the unsaved as an act of his mercy giving them an opportunity to repent. He is not slack concerning his promised return but he is longsuffering to the unrepentant giving them every opportunity to change their minds. There is not the slightest suggestion that he is waiting on one of the "unsaved elect." He is waiting on "any man." The words "enter in" (eiserchomai) is an aorist active subjunctive verb. The aorist tense refers to a once for all act at a point of time. The active voice means the subject (the one entering) must make a choice and act, and the subjunctive mood means that it is possible. So these words are speaking of universal possibility.

The words "he shall be saved" is a definite promise. The word "saved" (sozo) "to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction." The verb is a future passive indicative. It is future tense because it is a promise to those who stand before the barrier wall of God holiness with the impossibility of passing beyond that wall on their own. Jesus says, "I am the door" in that wall. He didn't say, "I made a door in that wall for you to pass through." He said, "I am the door." The passive voice is where the subject (those who choose to enter through that door, those who hear the invitation of Christ to enter and respond) shall be saved. They (the subjects) will be acted upon. God is the actor. He is the Saviour. Those who enter the door have the infallible unalterable promise from God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit that they will be saved.

I want to emphasize this point. They (those who enter) are not dragged through the door kicking and screaming, "No, no, no, I don't want to do this. I want to stay outside. I am satisfied with my life as it is." Those who enter, enter because they make a choice to enter. No matter what one believes about sovereignty (and I believe in the sovereignty of God) this is true. God's offer of salvation is to all men and those who respond will be saved. God who cannot lie has made the promise.

The words "and shall go in an out, and find pasture" speak of liberty. Jesus says in the next verse, "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." The "more abundantly" means something beyond obtaining eternal life. To say the least it is referring to the great joy associated with that life. It is a life of liberty. Not liberty to do wrong but liberty to do right. Now, if you told that to an unsaved man, that would not be liberty at all. It would be bondage. Because for him to do right it is a task. It is not enjoyable. But for one who has been completely changed by the New Birth and has had his views changed (2 Cor. 5:17) this is true liberty.

Paul tells the Galatian Christians in 5:1 " Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Satan was trying put the Christians in the churches of Galatia back under the law as a condition to salvation and service. Paul is saying that this will take their liberty from the. So he says, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free..." We are free to "go in and out and find pasture." I am afraid many Christians have allowed Satan to rob them of their liberty in Christ. If you know you are a Christian and you are in bondage, just remember this, Jesus didn't put you there. He is the door and when you enter that door you are set free to go in and out and find pasture. Find out what Scriptural liberty is and start enjoying it.

May the Lord bless you.

In Christ

Bro. White