Take off your harness. You can’t climb that wall.

Anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate,

but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.” — Jesus (John 10:1)

I’m not expert in World Religions, but someone who straps bombs to their body to gain a better afterlife sure sounds like someone trying to climb into Heaven – or to get there by their own effort. In other religions, your good had better outweigh your bad, or you’ll be sorry.

Many people who fly the Christian flag seem to be doing an immense amount of climbing themselves. They shout instructions at others to strap on their harnesses and clip their carabiners to their personal ropes of self-righteousness. I’m talking climbing like Tom Cruise in MI3 on the edge of a rock climbing.

These Olympic Climbers say you aren’t a Christian – a part of His flock – unless you (fill in the blank.)

Oh, you want specifics?

Ok, here goes.

Read a particular Bible version. Pray to that person. Follow his teaching, but not hers.

Dress in a certain style. Get baptized this way. Sing songs with this tempo, and don’t sing those songs.

Attend these functions. Give this much. Believe only this way about Christ’s return.

Don’t put that on your body. Don’t put that into your body. And don’t let us hear those words coming out of your mouth.

And culturally…

Don’t shop at those stores. Only vote this way. Don’t drink that coffee out of those cups.

And unless the culturally relevant crowd who are serving the poor, headbanging in church, and fighting climate change think I’m speaking to the conservative side, think again. Arrogance goes both ways.

To climbers of all sides – Jesus makes it very clear:

There is only ONE to-do list item for a person to become a part of Jesus’s flock.

ENTER

And how do we enter?

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

Friends, our Shepherd, Jesus, is alive and coming back for us soon. Please, stop climbing with your ropes of self-righteousness and trust that He is holding the gate open for you. You simply need to enter.

Then, let’s joyfully show others the way.