Security in America
by Stephen Bastin
America
will never be quite the same again. They
call it the “loss of innocence.” Perhaps
some of the changes are only temporary, reluctance to fly, cancellation of trips
to New York, loss of consumer confidence. Or
maybe Americans will permanently change some of their ideas about security and
danger to life in America. Maybe we
will all take trains instead of flying. (Of
course that presents some problems in crossing oceans!)
In
theory most of us subscribe to the idea that we could die at any time.
In practice we probably lean more to the idea that we will live forever.
Since
a lot is being said and written about security in America, I thought I would
give my thoughts. Let me say first
of all that I applaud the efforts being put forth by our government to provide
security for all people. I applaud
their efforts to rid the world of terrorists.
I applaud their efforts to secure our airplanes and other parts of our
infrastructure. I applaud every
effort they make to cause our
citizens to feel secure in their homes and in their persons.
Yet
I know that all of those efforts are doomed to fail in the end.
Our lives here on earth are short at best.
We may live to be 80 or even 110, but the end will come.
What then? What can the
government do for us at that time? Nothing.
Each person is on their own. We
all stand alone before the judgment seat of God.
No one else.
Some
say the hijackers were promised paradise and 70 virgins for their efforts in
killing the “infidels.” Of
course the ones making the promises had never been there so they could not have
any idea of the validity of their promises.
Their promises can be viewed as nothing more than wild speculation.
That is the kind of thinking that people engage in when they buy tickets
for a $100 million dollar lottery only worse since it involves eternity.
On
the other hand, Christians have the confidence of knowing that He who made the
promises has been there and came back to tell us about it.
Jesus told his disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in
God, believe also in Me. In My
Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told
you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And
if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to
Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
And you know the way where I am going.”
After Jesus said this, He died, rose again, and came back to assure His
disciples that what He had told them was true.
There is a story in the Bible about a man who lived long ago.
His name
was
Job. In a great meeting in heaven,
God called attention to his righteous conduct.
In reply, Satan accused him of acting from personal motives of advantage
without any real love for God. In a
great test, Job was proved to be steadfast in his allegiance to God and Satan
was proved wrong.
In
the New Testament we are told that Satan has been cast out of heaven and roams
this world looking for followers. He
can no longer accuse us before God.
Instead
we have an advocate who pleads our case. Jesus
told His disciples, “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I
will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My
Father who is in heaven.”
Our
security in America and everywhere else in the world is based on our
relationship with Jesus. If He is on
our side everything will come out right. If
He is against us, there is no security and you will have to defend yourself
before a Holy God who is altogether righteous and cannot tolerate evil.
If
one terrorist is killed, others will rise up to take his place.
On the other hand, if Jesus is on our side, He assures us that He always
lives to make intercession for us at the throne of God.
We can be secure from terrorism and every other form of evil by relying
on Jesus. Terrorists can rob us of
life here. They can take our lives
and our property, but they cannot take our eternal inheritance that is secured
by Jesus.
Security
depends upon having Jesus on our side. His
disciples whom He personally chose have made clear His demands.
Their writings in the New Testament tell us clearly what is necessary in
order to have Jesus on our side.
One
of the great sermons preached by Jesus is found in Matthew, chapters 5, 6 and 7.
In the conclusion to that sermon, Jesus emphasized the importance of
obedience. Lip service did not meet
the requirements. These are His
words: “Not everyone who says to
Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will
of My Father who is in heaven.”
Calling
out for Jesus to save you will not get the job done.
It might make you feel good, but that is not the declared will of the
Father!
In
the close of Matthew’s gospel, he quotes the words of Jesus to his disciples.
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all
that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the
age.”
You
are not a disciple of Jesus until you are baptized.
Jesus is not on your side while you remain undecided.
A commitment to Jesus in baptism is demanded.
Do you want Jesus on your side?