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During the Spanish rule in the Philippines, land was simply acquired by enconmienda or Royal Land Grants.¹ There came a need for more accurate measure. Thus, the Torrens system was adopted on November 6, 1902, under Act No. 496 or “The Land Registration Act.” The two kinds of land registration are original registration and subsequent registration^2; e.g., Original Certificate of Title (OCT) to Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT). Another system covered by the Condominium Act (RA No. 2746)³ was introduced in the 1960s as proof of ownership over condominium units; the document is called the Condominium Certificate of Title (CCT). There exists a system or record of names for property owners.

Interestingly, the Bible mentions a similar record. The first mention is in the book of Exodus, So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book, that you have written.” But the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. . . .”⁴ Again in the book of Psalm, Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.⁵ The book of Isaiah reads, In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the blood stains . . .⁶

Also it is mentioned in the book of Daniel, But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.⁷ Lastly, in the book of Revelation, Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.⁸ But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.⁹ This scenario is a serious matter. Wouldn’t you want to know how our names are enlisted?

We are not left to second guess the means by which our names are added to the list. Definitely, these things were written for our instruction.¹⁰ To the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote the Christians to remind them of God’s eternal plan for all humanity. He enumerated the spiritual blessings in Christ. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.¹¹ Paul used commercial terms as a metaphor so they could readily understand the scope, the grace, the gift of eternal life that God prepared for us who believe in the finish¹² work of Jesus.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.¹³