Ephesians 2:13-22 (NIV): But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups [Jews and Gentiles] one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
GOD LOVES US, enough to SAVE, REDEEM, FORGIVE, and RECONCILE US to HIMSELF, by giving us a PASSPORT, defined simply as "an official document issued by the government of a country to one of its citizens, authorizing travel to foreign countries and authenticating the bearer's identity, citizenship, right to protection while abroad, and right to reenter his or her native country; anything that ensures admission or acceptance; any authorization to pass or go somewhere; and a certificate intended to secure admission."
But OUR PASSPORT is not a book or paper issued by any earthly government; OUR PASSPORT is a PERSON, a SON, a SAVIOR, a REDEEMER, a LORD, a PRINCE, a KING: JESUS, the CHRIST—our gift from GOD—“for GOD so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” So, OUR PASSPORT is not paper issued by a government of people on earth, but OUR PASSPORT is a Person received through faith by GRACE from the KINGDOM of GOD. And THROUGH HIM--JESUS--we have citizenship and we have the right of protection while abroad; THROUGH HIM, we are accepted and have the right to enter HIS KINGDOM, our native land; THROUGH HIM, we have POWER and AUTHORITY to PASS or GO anywhere, FREE and SECURE, IN HIS NAME and UNDER HIS PROTECTION.
GOD’sWORD heralds JESUS as our GOVERNOR and KING of KINGS in Isaiah 9:6-7, saying, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”
GOD’sWORD reveals JESUS as our COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF in Matthew 28:18-20, when JESUS says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age," and as our BENEVOLENT RULER in Luke 22:29-30, when He tells his disciples, “I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
And GOD’sWORD declares JESUS our LIVING HOPE in 1 Peter 1:3-9, which says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
So, OUR PASSPORT is not an official document issued by the government of any country in this land; OUR PASSPORT is the ETERNAL PROMISE issued from heaven by the SOVEREIGN, LIVING GOD, who is THE KING of KINGS.
Our PASSPORT is JESUS, the SON of GOD, who is the WORD MADE FLESH, the PROMISE COME TRUE; who is the HOPE, the PROTECTION, and the GUARANTEE of our forgiveness, salvation, redemption, reconciliation, and immortality. He is the ROCK, the STONE, the DOOR, the GATE; He is the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our Faith. He is ALPHA and OMEGA, the Beginning and End; He is CHRIST, our RIGHTEOUSNESS. He is our MEDIATOR, our INTERCESSOR, our ADVOCATE, our CHIEF HIGH PRIEST, and our FRIEND, and HIS NAME is above all names, because He has all POWER and AUTHORITY in heaven and on earth, and He is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE, and NO ONE comes to the FATHER except THROUGH HIM.
And this is the TRUTH of GOD’sWORD from Genesis to Revelation: JESUS is our PASSPORT, from earth to heaven, from here to GOD, and this PASSPORT is not temporary but eternal.
