While reading the fine print on a coupon my wife noticed that it was not transferable, which seemed strange considering it had come addressed to OCCUPANT. Did this mean that I could not give it to my neighbor and he could not give his to us? Perhaps it meant not transferable to a different restaurant. I have noticed that the various donut shops in our town will take each other’s discount coupons. But I have never known restaurants to do so.
I did think of something much more significant that comes to OCCUPANT. Romans 10 says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” That seems to cover OCCUPANT. That means anyone. God is not fussy about gender, race, age or nationality. He is an all purpose savior.
Now that brings us to the not transferable. It is not. We cannot be saved for another. It is a highly personal relationship with our saver. I know that many parents would exchange their salvation for one of their children. However, that does not work. That was done once. Jesus gave His life for all. Once you give something of which you only have one, you cannot give it again. In Romans 6:10 we read, “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; . .” He could do that because He was without sin. Hebrews 4:15 We can’t. There are some who are baptized for past ancestors. Sorry. That is not transferable.
So I still do not understand the coupon we received in the mail. But I am overwhelmed by the power of us being occupants of earth and each receiving a non-transferable gift of salvation.
Written by Roger Bothwell on February 28, 2014
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, Ca 94574
Rogerbothwell.org