“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” (John 10:9a NIV)

“I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:18 NIV)

The English meaning of the name “Kayley” is “keeper of the keys; pure”. In regard to keeper of the keys, this suits my collie, Kayley, very well. Right from the beginning, she has had a habit of lying in front of the dog door. Whether she is inside or outside, that’s where she plants herself, and she stays put until I tell her to move away so that the other dogs can go in or out. For some reason, she has made herself the gatekeeper, which can be most annoying to everyone else. Although she is not the actual gate, the others have to go through her to get in and out.

Likewise, within Scripture, we read that Jesus claims, “I am the gate.” Unlike Kayley, who guards the dog door, or gate, He is the gate itself. He is also the keeper of the keys, the One whose work on the cross unlocked the way to eternity for mankind. Whoever enters through Him will be saved.

This is a very annoying fact for many people worldwide who choose to believe that Jesus is not the only gateway to heaven. They want to trust in the impossible notion that their good deeds can outweigh their failings or shortcomings. They hope that, when it comes their turn to meet God Almighty and He adds up their columns of rights and wrongs, their score will fall on the right side and they will be allowed entrance.

Unfortunately for those who think this way, the Bible states:

“As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:10,23-24 NIV)

None of our good deeds, no matter how great or wonderful, can ever blot out our sin. Only Jesus has the power to make us right before God. He is both the gate itself and also the keeper of the gate. He and only He has the power to allow us through into eternity. Whether or not we like this or choose to believe it, that’s the way it is. It is a fact that demands the humility to admit that we need help, because nothing that we can ever do can make us perfect or holy and without blemish in God’s sight. It also demands the obedience to accept, by faith, the help or salvation that only Christ, the true gate, can offer to each and every one of us.

Jesus said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”

According to this truth, are you saved?

Prayer: Father God, thank You for Jesus, Who is the gate, the One through Whom anyone who enters will be saved. Open the hearts and eyes of those who refuse to accept that He is the only gate, the way, the truth, and the life, in regard to our eternal salvation. May Your Spirit abound within our world, that many will turn to Him in faith this day. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.

Copyright © 2021, by Lynne Phipps <lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com>, first published on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional presbycan.ca .
Atlin, British Columbia, Canada