What does it mean that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy in John 10:10?

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What does it mean that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy? We're going to answer that question.

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You can also find an in -depth article on GotQuestions .org. The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.

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I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. This verse sets up a contrast between the thief, the destroyer, and Jesus, the life giver.

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In context, we see that Jesus is presenting himself as the good shepherd, essentially telling the

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Pharisees that he is Messiah, the same Lord that David called my shepherd. A man that was born blind was healed by Jesus, but the

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Pharisees mocked the healed man for trusting Jesus. When Jesus heard what happened, he went to the previously blind man and said,

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For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see, and those who see will become blind.

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Some Pharisees overheard this and, taking offense, asked, What? Are we blind too?

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Jesus replied, If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

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Very truly, I tell you, Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.

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The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. Jesus continued talking about the gatekeeper and how the shepherd calls out to his sheep.

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Sheep will only follow the shepherd whom they know. Jesus then interpreted his words. Very truly,

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I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers.

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But the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved.

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They will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

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I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. With these words, Jesus declares that he is the only way to salvation and the fullness of life.

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But who is the thief? And what does it mean that the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy?

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The Greek word for thief used in John 10 .10 means one who steals.

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Figuratively, the same word is used to refer to false teachers. Anyone who claimed a way of salvation other than Jesus was robbing the people of truth.

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Just as a thief bypasses the gate, false teachers attempt to bypass Jesus. False teachers steal people's ability to see the true means of salvation.

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The result of such thievery is death and destruction. As Jesus said, the thief's plan is to kill and destroy.

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False teachers are thieves who may claim to offer salvation, but their intentions are not good.

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Ultimately, these false teachers, thieves, are carrying out Satan's intentions. Rather than bring life, they bring death.

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Rather than give, they steal. Rather than build up, they destroy. Dealing with spiritual thieves is a serious matter.

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Twice, Paul told the Galatians that if anyone is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse.

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There is only one gospel, and any other is to be rejected. Even today, we are not free of false teachers.

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Peter warns us that there will be false teachers among you. God's sheep are protected from the thief by their shepherd.

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Jesus said, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

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The sheep follow him because they know his voice, but they will never follow a stranger.

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In fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice. It is by knowing truth, knowing

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God's voice, that we defend against the deceptions of those who would seek to steal, kill, and destroy.

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Life is in Jesus and him alone. That answers the question, what does it mean that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy?

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