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"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

So reads the Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776. Members of the American Colonies were declaring themselves free from British rule, free to make their own decisions, free to buy and sell as they wished, and free to make their own laws and impose justice as they saw fit. The important document ends thus: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our Sacred Honor."

What stirring words! No doubt much thought, and even prayer, went into the writing of them. Our early fathers believed in the all-powerful God and we can be thankful that our nation was founded by men who read their Bibles and put Scriptural principles into practice. In all, fifty-six men put their signatures on the Declaration of Independence. Once there, they could not be erased, and they were compelled to stand by what they had signed.

This reminds us of another important record. We read in Revelation 20:12 that God keeps books—books of works and another book called the Book of Life. "And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). We read in Philippians 4:3 of some women "whose names are in the Book of Life." What an important place to have our names recorded! Many famous or benevolent people have their names recorded in places of great significance or value, but I wonder how many have their names recorded in heaven. You may have your name recorded on your birth certificate, perhaps a "church" roll, or a deed to a house, or a will. BUT, is your name recorded in the Book of Life in heaven?

We are enslaved in a bondage far worse than that of the American colonists to England. We are servants of Satan, under his control, doing what he wants us to do, whether we realize it or not. Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (John 8:34). Oh, to be free from this dreadful, dangerous bondage!

Each one of us is individually responsible to God. We can't answer for our neighbor and our neighbor can't answer for us. Each one of us needs to see our lost condition before God and come to Him as a sinner, acknowledging that Christ died for our sins on the cross, and accepting Him as personal Saviour and Lord. Then we can "rejoice, because your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20).

Once our name is written there, it can never be erased for the Lord Jesus says, "I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels" (Revelation 3:5). But if your name is not written in heaven your end will be the lake of fire as we saw from Revelation 20:15. Don't delay any longer. Trust in Christ today, thus making sure that your name is written in the book of life, and that your sins have been washed away by Christ's blood shed on Calvary (1 John 1:7; Hebrews 10:17).

—M.B.J.

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