To Each His Own

 

To Each His Own

^{Hebrews 9:27 “}And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

^{2 Corinthians 5:10 “}For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

     I work in a place where people make a choice.  Having emigrated from their home country, they can be employed on a visa or become naturalized.  The first gives them permission to work for a fixed time without being a citizen.  On the other hand, naturalization is obtained by a course that grants the person citizenship. Those on visa enjoy the rights as Americans, yet their names are not on the books so to say.  Those naturalized have demonstrated their desire to become legitimate partakers in the new country.

      The next class of peoples working in America are illegals.  Those who have emigrated from their country without due process of our government.  They lay tracks in the sand so to say.  The wind comes and erases them as law enforcement pursues them as vermin.  Scurrying out of the plant when ICE conducts a raid, they pose a threat to themselves and others.

      Those on visa and those naturalized have consulted with authority.  They have submitted themselves to the law of the land.  In so doing, these workforce members are legitimate and do not have to fear expulsion if found out.  Illegals always look over their shoulder wondering if their day will come and their world be shaken.

      God has said everyone will die and face Christ.  It is all about status.  We have been walking His land.  As if we report to the supreme ruler of a country.  Those in his light have brought their business before him previously.  The two parties have an understanding.  Rights he has guaranteed and promises he will not renege upon.  To illegals, he will demand retribution.  Of what they can not pay, the ruler will eject them from his presence.

     In a sense, we are all born illegal.  In a foreign country, we duck authority to live another day in fear of being found out.  Christ offers us an opportunity to get our business straight with Him.  The law is given for the lawbreaker.  Surely His eye will find those wanting of justice imposed upon their disobedient ways.  It is appointed for all men to die and surely we will.  But what of the Rapture?  We will all die.

     To the Christian, we have already died.  Having agreed with Christ that no good resided in our flesh, together we nailed it to His condemning cross.

^{2 Corinthians 5:17 “}Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

     Hence, our old man has already been judged.  We live now in legitimacy walking about His kingdom without fear of expulsion having our citizenship secure.