Registered in Heaven
Luke 2:1-3 Amplified Bible
2 Now in those days a decree went out from [the emperor] [a]Caesar Augustus, that all the inhabited world (the Roman Empire) should be registered [in a census]. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone went to register for the census, each to his own city.
Shortly before Jesus was born, a decree went forth from Caesar Augustus commanding that all people be registered in a census. The New King James version utilizes the term taxed. In Greek, this term translates to apographó (Strong’s 583). It means to enroll, to register, to write off (a copy or list), or to tax. This verb only appears 4 times in the New Testament. Three of the four times the verb is utilized is in Luke 2:1-5. The fourth time it is used is Hebrews 12:23:
Hebrews 12:22-24Amplified Bible
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels [in festive gathering], 23 and to the general assembly and assembly of the firstborn who are registered [as citizens] in heaven, and to God, who is Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous (the redeemed in heaven) who have been made perfect [bringing them to their final glory], 24 and to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant [uniting God and man], and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks [of mercy], a better and nobler and more gracious message than the blood of Abel [which cried out for vengeance].
Apographó marks an act of official record-keeping whether by earthly authorities like Cesar Augustus, or by our Heavenly Father. This verb denotes that we are registered into a heavenly record among heavenly hosts into the city of the living God–the heavenly Jerusalem, a permanent place in eternity with our Father. Jesus Christ enters the world amid a worldly registration, to ensure a divine registration for His people through the cross and resurrection. The Lord’s people are registered in heaven, legally affirming their eternal status.
Revelation 21:25-27 Amplified Bible
25 By day (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed [in fear of evil]; 26 and they will bring the glory (splendor, majesty) and the honor of the nations into it; 27 and nothing that defiles or profanes or is unwashed will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices abominations [detestable, morally repugnant things] and lying, but only those [will be admitted] whose names have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Revelation 21:25-27 demonstrates that only those whose names have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will have access to the New Jerusalem. However, in the Greek, the term written translates to graphó (Strong’s 1125). This verb simply denotes the act of writing itself and is different from apographó. As previously defined, apographó means to be registered. The Cambridge Dictionary defines the word registered as officially listed and accepted. The Miriam Webster dictionary defines registered as qualified formally or officially.
Therefore, our names are not merely written into the Lamb’s Book of Life, but we are accepted and qualified by our Father.