Abundant Life To Those Who Believe

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10, KJV)

Chapters 9 and 10 of the Gospel of John speaks of the efficacious (producing the effect intended) grace which gathers the sheep under the care of the Son, and of the Father’s love.

In chapter 10 Jesus is contrasting Himself with all those who pretended, or had pretended, to be shepherds of Israel.  He develops these three points; He comes in by the door; He is the door; and He is the Shepherd of the sheep – the good Shepherd.

John 10:10, in particular, is part of a parable (John 10:7-10) about Jesus being the door of the sheep.  Said parable indicates two things:  (a) it is only through Jesus a man can have a lawful entrance into the ministry; and (b) it is only through Jesus that mankind can be saved. 

The thief is referred to those who claimed to be instructors of the people and regulate the affairs of religion but their only aim in their coming was to plunder the sheep – the people of God (the Church) – and to enrich themselves at the expense of the people.  They enter the priesthood that they may enjoy the revenues of the Church and their doctrine is deadly.  Their character is well pointed out by the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 34:2).

Jesus, on the other hand, came that whosoever believed in Him shall not perish but to have and eternal life.  The sheep of Christ are free and their safety is in the personal care of the Good Shepherd who fed them in the good and fat pastures which His love supplies.

The word “abundantly” literally means that they may have abundance, or that which abounds.  The word denotes that which is not absolutely essential to life, but which is superadded to make life happy.  They shall not merely have life – simple, bare existence – but they shall have all those superadded things which are needful to make that life eminently blessed and happy.

It is certain that Christians have enjoyed greater blessings and privileges than were ever possessed by the Jews, even in the Promised Land.  Jesus came that men may have abundance:  abundance of grace, peace, love, life, and salvation.

Depth of God's Love

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16, KJV)

Redemption originated in God’s great love – nothing else but the free love of the Father is the beginning of our salvation.

The word “world” refers to “all mankind.”  It does not refer to any particular part of the world but man as man – the race that had rebelled and that deserved to die (Romans 3:23; 6:23).  The mankind who is in ruin, exposed to the wrath of God, and in a hopeless condition.

God’s love to mankind does not mean that He approved the conduct of men for He hates wickedness.  It could be best described like a parent who love his child and desire his welfare, and yet strongly opposed to the conduct of that child.

God’s love caused Him gave His only begotten Son up to extreme sufferings, even the bitter pains of death on the cross – this is the highest expression of love of which we can conceive.

God’s love is an invitation to all mankind that whosoever believes on His Son may not perish but have eternal life.  Believing does not mean holding or accepting all that is taught in the Bible for a man might believe everything in the Bible yet not believe on Christ, while on the other hand, he might believe on Christ and yet not believe other things in the Bible.

Believing is the act of personal trust, however, to trust Christ is not merely to believe with the intellect the truth about Him, but to commit our hearts to Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life – as the Manifestation of the saving Power and Love of God to you.

Believing in Christ means that we have come into contact with the Fountain of Life – God Himself; and therefore, when we believe in Christ, we receive eternal life – that is, life that begins here and now and now continues there and then – that is, beyond and forever.