Fast Pass

You are at a major theme park, and you don’t have time to wait in the line, so what do you do? You buy a Fastpass which lets you stroll up, straight to the top of the queue and get on the attraction of your choice. And what did you do for this benefit? You paid for it! Others didn’t pay the price, so they wait in line. That seems fair, doesn’t it?

I have noticed another kind of Fastpass in operation, and right up front let me apologise for offending some sensitive people, because there is nothing surer. If we hold to the simple and basic beliefs of any Christian church, heaven is not granted to everybody. There has to be a recognition of our need of a Saviour, repentance, followed by salvation. I don’t want to complicate things, but that’s it in a nutshell for most. What no one can do is pay for entrance to heaven. It is a non-negotiable. Heaven is for believers!

Why then, especially around Memorial Day, do we see many references to soldiers who died in combat going straight to Glory? It is treated like a Disney Fastpass. Dare I suggest that not all brave (and no one doubts their courage and bravery) military men and women are believers in the atoning work of Jesus Christ? In spite of that obvious truth, we constantly, year after year, grant heaven to all past and serving military personnel. Brave soldiers, sailors and airmen and women are not given a Fastpass to heaven when they sign up to serve their country, and it does no good to pretend otherwise.

So, during this season of honouring and remembering our military, can we try to keep the truth in mind? Jesus said in John 3:3, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” These words are true for all, but the great news is that all can accept the gift of salvation, and enter the kingdom of God, including our brave military. It isn’t a Fastpass, but it is guaranteed because Jesus died to secure it. He further says in verse 16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Now that is worth celebrating by everybody, and on any every day of the year!