A college physics professor was interrupted during his lecture by an aspiring young doctor, "Why do we have to learn this stuff?"
"To save lives," the professor responded.
A few minutes later the student spoke up again. "How does physics save lives?"
The professor replied through clenched teeth, "Physics saves lives by keeping certain people out of medical school."
While this student may have been qualified to be a doctor, aren’t you glad that not everybody can get a medical license. Standards must be met. That’s true in other areas, too.
A friend went to the polls hoping to vote. He was denied. It wasn’t that he isn’t good enough. He’s intelligent and could cast an informed ballot. He’s a responsible law-abiding citizen. So, why wasn’t he allowed to vote?
Having just moved here, he wasn’t yet on the list of registered voters. If your name isn’t on the roll, you are not allowed in the poll.
Same is true of God’s election. Revelation 20:15 says, “If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” That won’t necessarily mean he was particularly bad. It just means he wasn’t properly registered.
The good news is that God has made it possible and easy for any of us to be qualified. The apostle Paul wrote, “Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-14).
It’s wise to know how to be qualified. For a medical student, there are exams to pass before being licensed. A prospective voter must present identification and register. For one who wants to be forgiven and enrolled in heaven, there are also prescribed steps.
Paul reminded those in Colosse how they had been qualified. He describes their experience as “having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12).
If one meets the requirements, he can become a doctor. Anybody who meets the requirements can register to vote. Those who meet God’s requirements can be qualified for heaven.
Have you registered yet?