Climbing up Another Way.
By R. F. Cottrell
SOME speak of climbing up to Heaven some other way than that appointed by the word of God. There is no harm in this figure; but this is not the figure employed by the Saviour. He is the good Shepherd and his people are his sheep. When he made his advent to earth, he came to the sheepfold by the gate, the proper entrance—the way pointed out in prophecy by which the Christ should come. Hence it was the first business of those who wrote the history of his life on earth, to show that he came of the proper lineage and in the very way that the prophets had predicted. On the contrary false christs could present no such credentials. Instead of coming to the sheep by the door of prophecy, they were like the thief that comes in the dark and climbs over the fence. Jesus declares all these to be thieves and robbers. “The thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life.” The figure is somewhat changed when he says, “I am the door of the sheep.” This alludes to the fact that there is no other way into the fold of God, but by him. There is no other name by which we may be saved. The good Shepherd knows his sheep, and they hear his voice and follow him. The Jews that would not hear his voice were not of his sheep. He also had other sheep, of the Gentiles, and not of the Jewish fold. These were brought in when the middle wall was broken down; and there is one fold and one Shepherd. The sheep have been scattered in the dark and cloudy day of apostasy; Eze. 34:12; and have been cooped up in different pens; but the gathering call is sounding, and they will hear the voice of the good Shepherd, and be brought together to the one fold. R. F. COTTRELL.