John 10:7

Jesus rephrases his words and says, “Let me put it to you this way, I am the door of the sheep as well.” John 10:7 EFP 

Prior to this statement Jesus describes himself as the true Shepherd of the sheep. The sheep belong to him—they know him and they are known by him. His voice is familiar to them, so that when he calls them out of the sheepfold they respond by coming out and following him wherever he goes. The pretenders have to use other methods to get access to the sheep—they are prowlers and thieves. So far the analogies are simple and correspond to actual scenarios with which his listeners are familiar.

Then Jesus, as he is apt to do, takes it a step further. He refers to himself as an inanimate object—the door! He does not say he is a door of the sheep; he says he is the door. One door. Not one of many. This is consistent with the claims of Jesus, The word “believe” and its derivatives appear 86 times in the New King James Version of the Book of John alone. Faith in Jesus as the Son of God is central and foundational to the message he is trying to convey.

It is interesting to consider a door as the means by which a person (or animal, in this case) both enters and exits a specific location (a sheepfold, in this setting). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to the world to save it. Salvation comes through him—exclusively (Acts 4:12; John 14:6). It is not a popular view in a world of political correctness and relativism, but it is the claim of Jesus. I am overwhelmed by the thought that a God who can both see and read my heart is also the door through which I enter the Kingdom. But he is also the door that will exclude me if I fail to respond and ultimately reject His voice calling me to follow. He made His choice for me before the world was created. What remains to be seen is if I will make my choice to follow Him.

But one thing remains certain, those who enter will be the ones who respond to His voice, his words—his call to live lives of love and devotion to Him and the people He came to seek and save.