Passport Control

I recently visited a country with strict border entry protocols. One piece of advice I read before traveling said, “You might not like it, but don’t even bother complaining about it. It’s their country.” It doesn’t matter if you think the rules are fair or not. You have no say in them because you don’t belong. They don’t have to let you in. There’s no reason for them to be lenient. In their eyes, you represent not just an outsider, but a potential threat to their safety and security. Of course they’re not taking any chances.

This led me to think about the mercy and kindness of God. We’re foreigners and aliens in His Kingdom. What’s more, our conduct often shows we’re really His enemies. Whether through ignorance or intention, we neglect the rules and even break the law on a regular basis. But instead of turning us away, He says, There’s a way out if you will take it. Become a citizen of this country. 

How can we do it? Only by doing it God’s way. That means believing that Christ died in our place. That He took the punishment we deserved and that His blood is sufficient to pay our debt. It’s only the intercession of Christ, Him identifying us as His own, that can save us. You can show all the documents you want at the counter, but it’s only Christ walking up and saying, “This one’s with me” that will do any good. Your passport for entry must be stamped with His blood.

“Don’t forget that you Gentiles used to be outsiders by birth… Because of what Christ has done for us…now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family!” Ephesians 2:19

God doesn’t stop with naturalization. “To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). He takes foreigners, aliens, enemies, and makes them not only citizens, but His own children. He adopts us as sons and daughters. He makes us co-heirs with Christ. It’s impossible to quantify that inheritance – “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). It’s the entire goodness of God that we look forward to. 

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

Anyone can become a citizen of heaven. Anyone can become a child of God. It’s simply a matter of renouncing any agreements or ties you’ve made to serve anyone other than God. Swear your allegiance to the King and gladly serve Him, and He will call you His children and welcome you into His Kingdom.