As I walk in my faith journey with God I struggle with how one of the most beautiful passages of scripture has been used to cause great pain throughout the history of the Church. I was raised that this passage meant that if you don't believe Jesus is the son of God you are going to burn in hell. Well, it managed to scare me growing up and I know I'm not the only one out there who tried to please God in everything because I didn't want to go to hell. But this isn't what this passage should be about, in the ancient Greek the word for love is Agape. Agape is a love that gives no matter what. God loves the world no matter what. God loves us even if we don't believe in Jesus.
In John chapter 10 Jesus speaks of a shepherd and his sheep; "I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and they know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the father. I give up my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that don't belong to this sheep pen. I must lead them too. They will listen to my voice and there will be one flock, with one shepherd."
I take this passage of scripture to mean that Jesus who is God, doesn't care what religion someone is or isn't. Jesus doesn't care about creed, doctrine, cannon, hymns, music, membership etc all Jesus ever cared about, the reason God sent "His only begotten Son" was to bring peace to the earth. Hindus bring peace to the earth. Buddhists bring peace to the earth. Muslims bring peace to the earth. Atheists bring peace to the earth. LGBT community members bring peace to the earth.
I believe that the Church would be a lot better off if it accepted all of the sheep and not just the ones that look and act the same.
go in PEACE. be PEACE. live PEACE.
