Door, 1of7

~ The Savior Is At The Door ~

caution  ~  When considering the door of salvation Revelation 3:20 is often quoted.   In this passage Jesus Christ is talking to the churches of Revelation 2-3 (and specifically the Church of Laodicea) when He says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”  To use this passage directly as a salvation passage is not in keeping with the context of the passage.  But please note that it is definitely in keeping with the whole context of Scripture. 

Dr. Luke’s Passages  ~  “And Jesus said to them, ‘Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him;” and he will answer from within and say, “Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you?”  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs” (Luke 11:5-8).  Today is the Day of Salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2) and our Savior will not turn away any who come to Him.

“And Jesus went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.  Then one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved?’  And He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, “Lord, Lord, open for us,” and He will answer and say to you, “I do not know you, where you are from,” then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.”  But He will say, “I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.  Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.”  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.  They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.  And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last’” (Luke 13:22-30). 

The Beloved Apostle’s Passage  ~  Jesus said, “‘Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.’  Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.  Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly’” (John 10:1-10).  Jesus makes it clear here and elsewhere that He is the only door to salvation (John 14:6). 

concluding note  ~  William Homan Hunt’s famous painting entitled “The Light of the World” illustrates Jesus at the door preparing to knock.  One of the remarkable, and Scripturally relevant, features is that Jesus’ side of the door has no handle to illustrate that the door must be opened by the repentant sinner.  How about you?  Have you opened the door of your heart and mind to investigate the reality of Jesus Christ? 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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