Jesus has followers among those who do not know him explicitly: "I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice" (John 10:16). Jesus died, he says, "to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad" (John 11:52) in every age, in every race. In my endeavour to express what believing in Jesus means, I hope it will become clear that there are many "not of this fold" who are listening to his voice though they know it not, who despite this, believe in him. They cannot name him, they may even deny that the Lord of their hearts is Jesus, and this because they have only met his image and his teaching in the garbled version we have given them. The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world and his redeemed are in every age, even before his coming in historical time. They are scattered now, unknown to themselves and to any but God.
RUTH BURROWS To Believe In Jesus (Burns & Oates, 2010)
