ARE YOU ON THE LIST?

[Pastor Bayo Afolaranmi]

Dearly Beloved,

ARE YOU ON THE LIST?

"These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food…" (Ezra 2:62-63a NIV).

"If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15 NIV).

The school bus was ready to convey some students in a class for an excursion. Every member of the class wanted to go, but the criteria for going was that one must have his name in the prepared list of the class teacher. None of them knew the actual people that were on this list. As they all assembled by the bus, the teacher started calling them one after another. The funny thing there was that there was still space in the bus when the teacher finished calling the names on his list. The other students implored him to admit them into the bus, but he refused because their names were not on his list.

A similar event happened as the Jews came back from exile. The priests had re-established the worship and sacrifices to God as prescribed by the Mosaic Law. However, to minister as a priest, one has to establish his genealogy as Levite - the only tribe that can perform priestly duties. Then came some people from certain towns who could not prove that they were even Israelites not to talk of being Levites. These people searched for their family records, but they could not find them, so they had to be excluded from the priesthood.

Everybody on earth is enjoying God's universal goodness. God does not discriminate in blessing many people on earth (Psalm 145:9; Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17). In fact, it seems as if God is blessing the ungodly more than the godly. Nevertheless, a day is coming when God will turn against some people - those that their names are not in His Book of Life. They will be excluded from being in the presence of God forever. The reason would be the absence of their names in "the Book of Life" (Revelation 20:15).

For you to have your name written in the Book of Life, you have to genuinely accept Jesus Christ - the only Way to God (John 10:7,9; 14:6; Acts 4:12) - as your personal Saviour and Lord (John 1:12-13; Acts 16:31). Are you on the list in the Book of Life?

In His service,

Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).

NB

This message was first sent out on June 27, 2004.