A Heavenly Passport
Recently, I left home in the United States and entered another country as a tourist. I had to show my passport to the border authorities. Without a valid passport, I could not exit or enter the United States or any other country. A passport is essential because it is a travel document. This document exists as the ultimate form of proof for citizenship. All countries issue passports to their citizens. The U. S. Department of State issues passports to each of its citizens who travel abroad. Likewise, what will one display to identify his heavenly citizenship? In this lesson, the Bread of Life, believers get the necessary passport to travel to and from heaven or to the afterlife when this life ends. Jesus' explanation in John 6 is incomprehensible to people who think there is no such thing as a free lunch. My economics instructor used to drill that phrase in class. So, I conclude that when you look only at earthly factors in a solution, you miss the heavenly solution to worldly problems. Every action will seem to have a price tag attached to it. As a result, there are no free lunches in our world.
Nevertheless, the ones who ate at Jesus' free fish and bread meal earlier doubted Him after hearing this statement, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:35 KJV)
After reviewing the reasoning for their disbelief in this heavenly remedy, I suggest that the same attitude still exists today. Our society believes that work reaps the rewards, so we use terms like no free lunches, no pain, no gain, or practice makes perfect. Because Jewish customs reflected their laws, all 613 rules, it took an effort to follow them. You had to pay an animal sacrifice for God to accept you back into good fellowship if you broke a rule. We, too, believe that an excellent outcome results from the best performance, whereas a poor performance results in a lesser reward. In other words, if one focuses on the task more deeply, the more rewards one can expect. However, Jesus delivered a far different message. The receivers of each miracle paid nothing or performed no work to receive the miracle, just as the blind beggar who was born blind received his healing. He did nothing to earn his sight but believed by washing in the pool of Siloam. So, when Jesus laid out a simple plan of believing to move them from earth to heaven, it failed on death’s ears. Why? To achieve this promise of never being hungry or thirsty again, there was no ritual to perform like killing a unique animal. The crowd of followers analyzed their past performances empathetically, thinking about why they feel the need to fix something that isn't broken. Unbeknownst at that time, they needed an individual passport to claim their heavenly citizenship. Their ancestry and birthrights have no value in heaven. Yet, the only one who can grant this passage to the heavenly realm is the one who came from heaven. Therefore, when Jesus stated that I am the Bread of Life. This concept of thinking opposes the worldly mindset of merit processes which includes receiving rewards based on performance. Remember, the people in Capernaum knew Jesus' family and his background. Many of them saw him grow up in the household of Joseph and Mary. Since Jesus proposed two actions – cometh to me and believeth on me, their response dictated that we cannot trust an ordinary person like us. Jesus’ claim of deity is questionable. So, their mindset reflected mistrust. To clarify, what they were thinking is as follows: you want us to place total trust in a typical individual without merit is unheard of. Mainly, they saw themselves through their own sin-prone eyes while missing how heaven saw them.
Likewise, we do the same today, trying to adjust a heavenly plan to fit our earthy intentions. For example, we think if our church attendance is perfect, then we are pleasing God, or if we pay our tithes, we will get more stuff. Yet, we must acknowledge that a heavenly plan acquires a heavenly passport. This passport allows the believers to leave this present state and access the heavenly realm. Believers obtain their heavenly passport through a heavenly sacrifice, steadfast belief (faith), and ongoing living while believing and following Jesus' teachings. We can start exercising our heavenly rights by communing with our heavenly Father daily, who owns our citizenship due to Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection as that heavenly sacrifice. Oh, and guess what? The last thing believers need to do is transition into our heavenly bodies as citizens.
…this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (I Corinthians 15:54)
Therefore, I urge you to let go of your willpower and give it over to the Holy Spirit rather than relying on your actions to reach the heavenly realm. Your belief in the Bread of Life will transform you, so take your spiritual passport with you everywhere in preparation to depart earth and enter heaven.
