Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Passport (07/25/05)
-
TITLE: The Passport Required At The Pearly Gates | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
07/26/05 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, in the United States, many internal and international policies were amended in an attempt to devote greater scrutiny to monitoring the international movement of money and persons believed to be involved in worldwide acts of terrorism.
As effective as these means may prove to be, one would have to be very naive to believe that any system, especially in a free society, is going to implemented that is going to be 100% effective in keeping terrorists from entering a country and carrying out their intended attacks.
The same can be said for our ability to identify the existing “sleeper cells” within a country and the potential danger they present.
Secular history teaches that the security of all nations is not in the hands of politicians, military personnel, or law enforcement officials. The best of these have failed.
National security is in the hands of God. The timing of the rise and fall of all nations play a part in the unfolding of Biblical prophecy (Matt.24: 7/Daniel 7), which will reach its climax with the international events relating to the rise of the antichrist and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I had a thirty-year law enforcement career that ended when I became seriously ill and later disabled. The final five years of my career was in a law enforcement capacity at an airport. I was on duty the morning of the 9-11 attacks and was impressed with the response I saw by all facets of military, police, fire-rescue and governmental agency personnel.
I have the utmost respect for all such men and woman who presently serve in all such capacities, but I also know that without the presence and intervention of a Higher Authority, all such efforts will not preserve any nation.
When the permissive will of God allows national tragedy to come upon a society, we must be humble enough to consider WHY and brave enough to rise to the occasion to address our internal issues as well as our external adversaries.
In the spiritual realm, there will be no “sleeper cells” within or terrorists that can enter the Pearly Gates of Heaven.
Without proper documentation, not only will one be prevented from passing through the Pearly Gates, but will be tossed into what the Bible calls the “lake of fire (Rev.20: 15 NIV).”
Satan, the author and master in the art of deception, has marketed counterfeit passports in the name of religion since the beginning of time. He knows that such counterfeits will be detected by the “immigration officials” when their possessors arrive at the Pearly Gates, but their usefulness to him will have then terminated and Satan could not care less that the final destiny of those he deceived is an eternity in the “lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15).
The only way to secure a genuine passport in the spiritual realm is to be “born again (John 3:3 NIV)” and as a result have one’s name written in the “book of life (Rev. 20:15 NIV).”
English translations of Rev.3: 5 have been used to suggest that the NAME can be removed from the book and thus salvation can be lost. However, the verse is not making reference to the name (Bill, Joe, Mary, Sue) of the born-again believer; it is making reference to the TITLE (over-comer, winner believer) of the born again believer. All born again believers are eternally saved and start out in the post-salvation spiritual life with equal opportunity to advance and receive all of the blessings of Heaven in addition to eternal life that all believers receive.
Born again believers who fail to execute the post salvation spiritual life have their TITLES of “over-comers” or winner believers (Rev. 3: 5) removed from the book as well as losing the associated rewards and privileges, but NOT their salvation (1Cor. 3: 15).
Making all the plans and having all the expectations of what one will do when he/she arrives at his/her intended destination will be of no value if he/she is denied entrance.
Is YOUR passport in order?
------------------------
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (R) Copyright (C) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All Rights reserved.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
