Let me ask you this question: How many times does someone need to lie to you before you begin to question their integrity? What would you think of someone who told you, "Hey, you know So-and-so? He's one the greatest guys I know. In fact, he's one of my best friends! And, oh yea, by the way, he's one of the biggest liars I know." Would that maybe make you question just about everything he just told you? That is what most all major religions do concerning Jesus Christ. While they are claiming to be the true path to God, they will on the one hand claim Jesus as one of their greatest Prophets, and by this they call him a liar! How so? Jesus said,
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
How can they have it both ways?
Do you see the schizophrenia in the claims of other religions, based on what Jesus said? They call Him one of their greatest prophets, but by claiming to simply be"another way" to God, they make Jesus out to be a liar! And if He's a liar, why would they hold Him in such high esteem? The reason is they seek to gain credibility by association with Him, while denying what He said...because they are liars!
Of the false religions and false prophets Jesus gave this parable:
"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John 10:1-5
Let's break this parable down to the basic elements, so we can understand the meaning.
First, "the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way" would be someone like Mohamed, Krishna, Joseph Smith (founder of the Mormons LDS) or Jehovah's Witnesses or a myriad of the thousands of other so-called ways. According to Jesus he is a thief and a robber. Then, the "sheep pen" represents the world of the potentially redeemed. And the "sheep" are those who will be "saved" or "redeemed". The "gate" is The Way to God. The "watchman" is God. He alone provides the way for us to reach Him, to have fellowship with Him. It is not our right, nor anyone else to choose the way...God chose it! Because Jesus is the True Shepherd, those who He calls hear His voice, they recognize His voice, and the voice of a stranger they will not follow! He has gone ahead of us and will one day soon call for us. We who worship Him in spirit and truth will hear His voice and be caught up to be with Him and return with Him when He comes.
(to be continued...with some quotes of the thieves and robbers)
