Questions At the Border

Nancy Tozier knew that this earth was not her home. She understood that she was a pilgrim on this journey. The few visits I had with her, she was always full of joy, not wishing to complain, knowing that when her life on earth was to be over, she would be with Jesus.

Some of you may know that I come from southwest Kansas on a farm. After answering God’s call to serve as a pastor, we left the farm, and ended up spending time in a few prairie states, and even going to Canada to serve for a few years. We discovered that whenever you cross the border, there are three basic questions that are going to be asked.

1 - Where were you born?

2 - What are you taking with you?

3 - Where are you going?

If one isn’t able to answer these questions appropriately, we will not be allowed access to the new country. In a similar way, as people on a journey on this earth, we need to take a serious look at these same questions in order to be able to answer them appropriately. That is one way we can know that our destination will be heaven.

1 John 3:2 (NASB95)

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

1 John 3:4–6 (NASB95)

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.

1 John 3:8 (NASB95)

the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:14 (NASB95)

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.

1 John 3:21 (NASB95)

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;

Where Were You Born?

Knowing who we are and where we were born gives us some idea as to our sense of dignity and our sense of duty to all that we do. This gives us the opportunity to represent God, if we are truly children of God.

When we think about birth, we think of John 3. When Nicodemus approached Jesus, Jesus told him that [He] must be born again. Jesus was speaking of a spiritual birth. The only way a person can be allowed to cross the border into heaven, as it were, is to experience the birth that Jesus Christ provides. This birth is of the Spirit of God.

When asked Where were you born?, we should be able to respond by saying that we have been born again of the Spirit, by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.

What Are You Taking with You?

We need to remember that when traveling into a foreign country, as we cross the border, there can be no contraband with us. In the same way, a person who wished to enter heaven must understand they cannot take sin with them into God’s presence. The glorious thing is that when a person is born again, as Nancy was, there is victory over sin.

There are several verses in 1 John 3 that lets us know that sin cannot be in heaven. Sin cannot be part of our baggage that we carry with us, since Christ is in us and has forgiven us our sins. We have victory over sin.

We also take with us a special love for others. Nancy was able to share that love because she had experienced that love from Christ.

Thirdly, the believer in Jesus Christ takes with them confidence toward God. Nancy and all who are born again, have this confidence because we are born again, making us children of God.

Where Are You Going?

If a person is truly born again, they know that they will be in the presence of Jesus Christ for all eternity. Nancy could tell you this because she was prepared to cross the border from earth into heaven.

Conclusion

Nancy was able to answer these questions. Even as my wife and I were able to visit with her, she was certain of her salvation. I believe that Nancy would want the same thing for each of you who are here to honor her memory today.

In order to be born again, a person simply needs to agree with God that they are a sinner and they need a Savior, Jesus Christ. We then accept that gift of salvation and become a child of God, giving us the opportunity to appropriately answer those three questions at the border.

Where were you born? I would hope you would be able to say that you are born again by the Spirit of God by believing in the Name of Jesus Christ.

What are you taking with you? I pray that it is victory over sin, love for others, and confidence toward God.

Where are you going? If you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then you can know for certain that your destination is heaven.