(031)
IN ADAM ALL DIE
"In
Adam all die ... in Christ shall all be made alive" 1 Cor 15:22, doesn't mean
that because all die physically, all will be made alive spiritually.
By natural birth, and without choice, all are "in" Adam, and must
die, for with his sinful nature we can't help sinning, and are therefore unfit for
heaven, condemned by God Who has said, "The soul that sins shall die" Ez
18:4, the result being that at death we must first enter hell, and then the lake of
fire, to endure torment for ever, Rev 20:15.
Since
we have no choice, this would be a cruel, unfair decision by God, but for the fact
that we do have control over whether to remain in Adam.
He by one disobedient act condemned himself and us, but we by one obedient act
can be "in Christ" and save ourselves.
How? Admit that you're a sinner.
Believe that Christ died in your place for your sin, and that in response to
that faith God pardons you, and will receive you into heaven.
******
THE RICH
FOOL
A
rich farmer looked at his abundant crops and determined to pull down his old barns to
make room for larger ones in which to store his goods.
But as he made his plans he was unaware that he himself was the object of
God's plans, for, without knowing it, he had come to the last day of his life, and
God's declaration concerning him was, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be
required of thee" (Luke 12:16-21).
Even
as you read this, thousands of people are likewise entered upon their last day of
life. Have you ever wondered how and when YOU will enter the last day of
YOUR life? Will it be at school, at
work, at home, in hospital, on vacation? How
will death come? By accident, at the end
of an illness, suddenly or by slow degrees? What
will you be doing - working, planning, sleeping, eating, driving, relaxing?
One thing is certain - one day you WILL die.
The
man of whom we have been reading was making plans for this life, but he had made none
for eternity. In the plans you have
made, is there one for your soul? "It
is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
Have you ever thought of that judgment? Are
you prepared for it? Or will your last
day of life find God declaring of you "Thou fool," because you have
been so busy with the things of this world that you haven't made any
preparation for the next?
The
only preparation you need is to trust in Christ.
He loved you enough to die in your place for your sins.
All you are asked to do is to believe it, "whosoever believeth
in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
"He that believeth on Him is not condemned" (John 3:36).
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life" (John
3:36). "Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31). "All that believe are justified" (Acts 13:39).
Remember,
believing about Christ isn't the same thing as believing in him.
You may believe all the historical facts about Him, but the faith that saves
the soul is the belief that when He went to Calvary to die, it was as your
Representative.
******
(033)
GOD'S ELEVATOR
Have
you ever caught yourself, when driving up a steep hill, sitting forward in your seat,
grasping the steering wheel tightly, as though this could assist the car to climb the
hill? Well, don't worry about it.
Many people do it.
You
should be concerned however if you're guilty of doing the same thing when it comes to
traveling up the hill to heaven. You
know that it makes no difference to your car whether you sit up taut as a bowstring,
or sit back relaxed; but did you know that successful navigation of the hill to
heaven is equally independent of any effort on your part? Many people make the mistake of thinking that they have to earn or
work their way to heaven, so they spend their lives in church activity, prayer, Bible
study, etc., hoping that these things will help them to enter heaven when they come
to the end of life's journey. The Bible however teaches very clearly that, apart from trusting
the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, there is nothing anyone can do to fit himself for
heaven, for the way to heaven is a Person, not a system of good works.
Jesus
Christ said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me" (Jn.14:6). Again,
it is written, "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Ro.6:23). A gift cannot be earned, otherwise it is not a gift.
It is also written, "For by grace (God's bestowing undeserved
blessing) are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ep.2:8-9).
You
see, the way to heaven is like an elevator. To
reach the highest floor of the tallest building in New York city it is only necessary
to step into the elevator, and you ascend without any effort on your part.
Going to heaven is exactly the same. Being
saved is another term the Bible uses for going to heaven, and Christ said, "I am
the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved" (Jn.10:9).
You
can step into God's "Elevator" right now, and sit back relaxed for the rest
of your life, knowing that Divine power is carrying you to heaven, apart from any
effort on your part.
How?
By simply admitting that you are a sinner, for, "All have sinned"
(Ro.3:23); and by believing that when Jesus Christ went to Calvary, He went there as
your Representative, bearing your sins, to die in your place, so that you might be
forgiven, and receive God's gift of eternal life, "For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life" (Jn.3:16).
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that
believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him"
(Jn.3:36).
******
(034)
TRAPPED IN A SAFE
Many
years ago a man who was a designer of safes and locks was inspecting a huge new bank
safe which he had helped design. In the
course of his inspection he stepped into the safe, and only after he had
thoughtlessly closed the door did he remember that it couldn't be opened from the
inside. The lock operated on a system
that used a key and a combination, and there were only two keys: one was in his own
pocket, and the other was in the possession of the bank manager.
The
reality of his situation struck terror into his heart, for he knew that he faced
death. The air in the safe would soon be
used up. Frantically he wondered whether
anyone would know who had that other key, and whether the bank manager could be
reached in time. As he stood there in
the darkness he realized that every passing second was bringing him closer to death,
nearer to that awful moment when he would be in eternity, when he would have to meet
God - and he knew he wasn't prepared for that meeting.
He
remembered all the times he had heard the Gospel, of the need to be "born
again," but like many another, he had paid little attention, for then death had
seemed a long way off, and the preparation to go from time into eternity had seemed
of little importance. But now it was all
important, for he realized that unless that safe door was opened, he had about one
hour to live: one hour before he would be in eternity, one hour before he would have
that inescapable meeting with God - a meeting for which he knew he was not prepared.
When
the door was eventually opened he was found lying on the floor unconscious.
Upon recovering, he told those gathered around him that in what he had thought
to be his last few minutes of life he had accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior.
Sometimes
God uses drastic measures to make men think of eternity!
It's
highly unlikely that anyone reading this will spend his final hour trapped in a bank
safe; but one thing is certain: you and every other man will enter the last
hour of life, for something no one can deny is the truth of what is written in
Scripture, "It is appointed unto men once to die" (Hebrews 7:27).
Have
you ever given any thought as to how you will spend that last hour? Where will you be? What
will you be doing? What will your
condition be? Will you be old and
senile, unable to comprehend reality? Will
you be young, entering that last hour not knowing that it is your last, as you
step into your car - to meet death suddenly and unexpectedly on the highway?
What
preparation have you made for that inevitable hour that will see your soul pass from
time into eternity? The need for
preparation is declared by the final clause of the Scripture quoted above, "but
after this the judgment," and by the warning of Amos 4:12, "Prepare to
meet thy god." Are you prepared for
that judgment, for that meeting with a Holy God? If not, it is the height of folly to postpone the preparation, for
your last hour could overtake you without warning.
A
few, a very few, like the man trapped in that bank safe, do have a few minutes
to make preparation, but, unlike him, many of them don't know how!
Do you?
The
salvation of the soul is remarkably simple. You
must first be willing to admit that you are a sinner, unfit for heaven, and fit
therefore only for hell. Following that
unqualified confession (the admission is worthless if you retain the idea that you
have any righteousness), you must believe that when Jesus Christ went to
Calvary, it was as your Substitute, to die in your place for your sins.
That confession of sin, and confession of faith in Christ, are all you
need to save your soul, for God assures every such confessor, "He that believeth
on him (Christ) is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,
because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.... He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall
not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:18,36).
The
Philippian jailor, come to what he thought was the end of his life, cried out in
desperation to Paul and Silas, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
Their reply to him is God's reply to the cry of every penitent sinner,
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:30).
A
final warning. Don't postpone making
that confession, exercising that faith, presuming that your last hour is a long way
off. God warns, "Boast not thyself
of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" (Proverbs 27:1).
And He warns again, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now
is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).
What
if you should have entered your last hour?
******
(035)
THE GIFT ON THE TREE
We've
become so used to Christmas trees, and the commercialism of Christmas, that few ever
give a thought to the first Christmas tree. It
was unique, having neither lights nor ornaments, yet it attracted a multitude which
included the political and religious leaders of the city outside which it stood.
Upon it hung one solitary gift.
That
first "Christmas tree" was Calvary's cross; and the One suspended on it by
nails through His hands and feet, was Jesus Christ, described by Paul in 2
Corinthians 9:15 as God's "unspeakable (indescribable) gift."
At
Christmas the attention of the world is focused on Bethlehem's manger, but the
miracle of Christ's incarnation is only half the Christmas story.
The other half is Calvary, for the Child Who lay in the manger became the Man
Who hung on the cross. Yet a busy world
caught up in the frenzied commercialism of Christmas seldom stops to ask, Why did God
give that priceless Gift? It was to save
men from hell and fit them for heaven, for as Bethlehem's manger is only half the
Christmas story, so is the decease of the body only half the story of death.
There is a second death: consignment to the eternal torment of the lake of
fire, of all who die without having accepted Christ as Savior (Revelation 20).
Man
is free to accept or reject God's gift, but rejection is fraught with a terrible
imperative. The rejector must die the second death.
To
accept God's priceless gift you must (1) admit that you are a sinner without one
shred of righteousness, (2) believe that Christ has willingly died in your place, (3)
believe that in response to that faith, God pardons all your sin, and will receive
you into heaven. To refuse His priceless
gift is to offer Him the supreme insult, and damn your own soul.
By receiving it you'll have the happiest Christmas of your life, and in
addition a happy eternity. We sincerely
wish you both.
******
(036)
JOHN'S DOCTOR
In
the days when doctors made house calls, an English doctor, who was also a Christian,
was called to the cottage of an old man whom he had visited many times over the
years. After examining the patient, he
wrote out a prescription and gave it to the sick man's wife, but without following
his usual custom of repeating verbally the written instructions as to the quantity of
each dose, and the interval at which the medicine was to be taken.
Thinking
that he had just forgotten, the man's wife asked, "Sir, when should John take
the medicine?"
With
a faint smile the doctor turned to the invalid, and said, "Let's see, you're not
very ill. Why don't you
begin next month?"
"Next
month!" exclaimed John, "Why, sir, I could be dead by then."
"That's
true," replied the doctor, "Well then, begin next week."
Scarcely
able to believe his ears, John sputtered, "But doctor, I might not live till
next week."
"That's
possible," replied the doctor, "But very likely you will, and the medicine
will keep in the bottle. However, if you
feel worse tomorrow you could begin to take it if you like."
With
temper chilling his tone, John retorted, "Doctor, tomorrow I could be dead.
Why can't I start taking the medicine now?
It may keep for a long time in the bottle, but what good is that going to do
me if I'm dead?"
"You're
right, John," responded the doctor, "The best medicine in the world can't
do you any good if you die before you take it. That's
exactly what I've been trying to tell you for years about the cure God has prescribed
for your soul. Because your body is a little
bit sick, you're in a hurry to take medicine to cure it, but your soul is dying
- has been for years - and yet you've refused to take God's remedy.
Why are you so anxious to take the medicine I've prescribed, that you won't
risk waiting for even a day; yet when it comes to taking God's medicine it seems as
though you think it is better to postpone taking it for as long as possible?
Suppose you die before you take it? Do
you realize how terrible your eternal state will be?
Your soul will be in the torment of the lake of fire for ever.
There
are many in the world like John. They
are careful about earthly things, but indifferent to those that are spiritual, even
though the spiritual are attended by eternal consequences.
God
declares that, "ALL have sinned" (Romans 3:23). and warns, "The soul
that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4), that death being in two parts:
first, the decease of the body, and then, for the unbeliever, consignment of body,
soul, and spirit to the eternal torment of the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
Having
diagnosed man's problem, God has also prescribed the remedy - faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ as Savior, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life" (Jn
3:36). But the remedy isn't available
for ever, and because it isn't, God warns of the urgent need to apply it today,
"Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring
forth" (Proverbs 27:1); and because of that uncertainty, He declares,
"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Do
you realize that since the moment of your birth, you have been dying of the disease
of sin? And do you realize that sooner
than you think, you may find yourself brought suddenly to the end of life's brief
day? Have you prepared for that eventful
moment, or are you still dying while God's remedy lies unused?
To
save your soul from that terrible eternal existence in the torment of the lake of
fire, which is the second death, it is necessary only to realize that you are a
sinner who cannot be saved apart from the faith to believe that when Jesus Christ
died at Calvary it was as your Representative, your Substitute.
In response to that faith, God gives the assurance, "He that believeth on
the Son hath everlasting life" (John 3:36).
It
is deadly folly to postpone accepting God's remedy. Tomorrow you could be in eternity, your eternal bitter regret
being that you passed through a lifetime on earth refusing to avail yourself of God's
gift of eternal life. Countless
multitudes now in eternal torment, realize too late, the inestimable worth of that
which they valued so little on earth.
Perhaps
you're a regular reader of these messages, and your response has been to esteem me a
fool. What if, in the final analysis, I
should prove to be right, and you the fool! You
have everything to gain, and nothing to lose, by trusting Christ as your Savior
today. You have everything to lose, and
nothing to gain, by not trusting Him as your Savior.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts
16:31).
******
(037)
YOUR TICKET TO HEAVEN
As
I sat in a crowded railroad carriage one day I noticed that the passengers
represented almost every conceivable type of humanity.
There were men and women, young and old, rich and poor, black and white, plain
and handsome - yet when the conductor came around he scarcely even glanced at one of
them. His attention was directed
entirely to the ticket each presented. The right to travel on that train depended, not on whether one was
rich or poor, black or white, young or old, but on whether he had the right ticket.
The
way to heaven is the same. God doesn't
look to see whether you're a Catholic or a Protestant, a Jew or a Gentile; whether
you're rich or poor, black or white, good or bad.
He looks to see whether you have the right ticket.
Many people don't. You may be one
of them.
Imagine
what it would be like on the train if one passenger offered for his fare a piece of
jewelry; another, a basket of fruit; another an expensive garment.
The very idea is ridiculous. The
railroad company will accept only the prescribed ticket.
Yet many people are guilty of folly similar to that suggested above. They expect God to accept something other than what He has
prescribed as the price of admittance to heaven. They expect Him to accept their membership in some church;
baptism; a moral life; generosity; kindness, etc., even though He has warned that the
only thing He will accept is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, emphasizing
that there is absolutely no possibility of His accepting anything else, "For
there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we MUST be
saved" (Acts 4:12). Nothing could
be more emphatic than His warning that men and women cannot enter heaven apart from a
new birth, "Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God .... Ye must be born again" (John 3:3-7).
And
in regard to any other way, He warns twice, "There is a way which seemeth
right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 14:12 and
16:25).
Railroad
tickets must be purchased, and so must the ticket to heaven.
But the cost is beyond man's ability to pay, for it is priceless, yet Christ
loved men and women so much that He paid the purchase price when He died on the
cross, giving His life a ransom for your soul and mine, so that we might have that
"ticket" as a free gift, "The wages of sin is death; but the gift
of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
In 1944, as a young man of twenty, I accepted that gift by simply believing
that when Christ died on the cross, it was in my place, for my sins, "For God so
loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
When
are you going to accept God's priceless gift, and assure yourself of entering
heaven when the train of life reaches the terminal?
God urges the necessity of doing it now, with the warning, "Now
is the accepted time" (2 Corinthians 6:2). "... for thou knowest not what a
day may bring forth" (Proverbs 27:1).
There
are only two destinations to the journey of life, heaven or hell. Without the "ticket" of faith in Christ as your Savior,
you must enter that awful place of eternal torment, your agony being compounded by
the knowledge that you yourself chose to be there by simply choosing not to accept
Christ as your Savior.
Secure
your "ticket" today. The
terminal may be nearer than you think. "Thou
knowest not what a day may bring forth." What
if this were the day you came to the end of Life's journey?
******
(038)
NOT ENOUGH LIFEBOATS
In
the days of sailing ships, an overloaded vessel, caught in a storm, began to sink;
and as the sailors lined up for the lifeboats it was discovered that there were more
men than the boats could possibly hold. Lots
were drawn to determine as fairly as possible who should go, and among the
unfortunate remainder was a young sailor notorious for his profligate living.
As
he watched others climb into the lifeboats he cried out in terror, "Oh God, I'm
not ready to die."
As
the last boat was about to be lowered, an old sailor sprang out of it, grabbed the
young man, tossed him into it, and then, leaning over the sloping rail, called after
him, "You're not ready to meet God, but I am.
I'm giving my life for yours. Don't
let it be a waste. Make sure I meet you
in heaven."
Years
earlier that old sailor had accepted Christ as his Savior, and many times had warned
the younger man of the need to be "born again" (John 3:7) in anticipation
of the day when he would have to leave earth and go out into eternity; but the
warnings had gone unheeded. Now from the
safety of the lifeboat, and sobered by the shock of realizing how close he had been
to death, that young man watched the ship suddenly lurch over and plunge under the
waves, carrying to his death the man who had given him that seat in the lifeboat.
That
young sailor sat there unashamed of the tears running down his face as he realized
that he was alive that moment only because another had willing died in his place.
He had often scoffed at the older man's preaching, but that night in the storm
he could only weep. The sacrifice simply emphasized the message his selfless friend
had so faithfully preached, "For scarcely for a righteous man would one die, yet
peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
But God commendeth His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us" (Romans 5:7-8).
The
sacrifice wasn't in vain, however. That
night that young sailor, who had received the gift of physical life through the
sacrifice of his older companion, received also God's gift of eternal life (Romans
6:23, "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord"). Sitting
there in the tossing lifeboat, he trusted Christ as the Savior Who had willingly died
in his place at Calvary to save his soul.
One
day, perhaps sooner than you think, you too must face death, as did that young sailor
on the sinking ship. Would his cry of
despair be also yours, "Oh God, I'm not ready to die"?
When it comes time for you to face death, it's unlikely that there will be
anyone either willing or able to take your place so that you may have a second
chance. Wouldn't it be wise to make
preparation for eternity now? How?
Be willing to admit that you are a sinner, and to believe that when Christ
died on the cross, it was in your place, as your Representative.
Preparation so simple, but fraught with such consequences, shouldn't be
postponed. That preparation, or lack of
if, determines whether your soul will be in heaven or hell for ever.
******
(039)
THE
GOSPEL
THE
GREATEST PRESUMPTION
If
you heard someone say, "I'm absolutely sure of going to heaven," would you
consider him guilty of great presumption?
Well,
let's examine the facts. In John,
chapter 3, verse 14, we read of Christ's crucifixion, and in verse 15 we are given
the reason for His death, "That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have eternal life," and
in verse 16, "That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life."
These
two verses are not saying the same thing, for eternal and everlasting
are not quite the same. Eternal
describes the life of God Himself. It
had no beginning, and will have no end. The
moment a man believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as His personal Savior, he receives
that same eternal life, and because it is eternal it will never end.
But the believer didn't always have that life.
It became his the moment he trusted Christ.
That was the moment for him when it began, and because that life is the very
life of God it will last for ever.
Other
verses confirm that the man who accepts Christ as his Savior has this eternal life,
and that he will never lose it. As the
gift bestowed by God, and received by faith, it is everlasting.
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he
that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on
him" (Jn 3:36).
Could
any language state the case more clearly or simply?
A man can be sure of possessing eternal life even while he is
here on earth. He doesn't have to remain
in uncertainty until after death. And
the One Who gives that assurance is God Himself.
"But,"
someone says, "salvation can't be that simple.
Surely one must do something to earn it."
Can
you earn a gift? Of course not. If earned, it is payment, not a gift; but of the eternal life
given the believer by God it is written, "The gift of God is
eternal life ...." (Romans 6:23). What
do you do when a friend offers you a gift? Don't
you simply accept it, and thank him? Wouldn't
it be an insult to offer him payment for it?
God
wants you to have His gift of eternal life so that you may live for ever in heaven,
for without it you must exist, also for ever, in the torment of the lake of fire
(Revelation 20:15). It cost Him much -
the death of Christ His Son - and in the price He paid to make this eternal life
available, we are shown how much He loves sinners, and how much He wants to save them
from going out into eternity to receive the wages of sin, "For the wages of sin
is death ...." (Romans 6:23), first hell, and then for ever, the torment of the
lake of fire.
There
are two reasons why you should accept this priceless gift (1) it is the only way to
save your soul from hell and fit it for heaven, (2) by refusing it you insult God,
for that is to despise the death of His Son as being a worthless thing.
The
writer of Hebrews asks, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great
salvation?" (Hebrews 2:3), and he adds the warning, "Of how much sorer
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the
Son of God? .... Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord ....
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews
10:29-31).
It
is not presumption to believe God when He says, "He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life." It is great
audacity not
to believe, for that is to make God a liar.
******
(040)
THE
GOSPEL
UNNECESSARY
PAYMENTS
During
the depression days an elderly lady entered an insurance office in Minneapolis, and,
presenting a policy to a clerk, explained that she could no longer make the necessary
payments.
Examination
of the policy revealed that it was one of considerable value in which her husband was
named as the insured, and she as the beneficiary.
The clerk advised her to try to continue the payments if at all possible, and
asked whether she had discussed the matter with her husband.
Her startling reply was that he had died three years before.
Investigation
revealed that she was telling the truth, and it wasn't long until she was paid the
amount for which her husband had insured himself in her favor, plus the overpaid
premiums. The money was sufficient to
keep her in comfort for the rest of her life.
Had
she but known, three years spent struggling to make unnecessary payments could have
been spent in security and comfort.
You
think perhaps that she was foolish not to have read the policy; yet it is possible
that you are being just as foolish in regard to a matter of infinitely greater
importance, and involving something of incalculable worth, your soul. That which is of greater worth than the whole world, the salvation
of your soul, became available to you the day Christ died; yet it's possible that
you, like countless others, may be trying to make payments on your soul's salvation,
still trying to earn the right to enter heaven, by church-going, Bible reading,
praying, giving, etc., not realizing that you could never pay the price of that
privilege, nor need you - Christ paid it in full when He died that day in your guilty
place, not only for the sins you have committed, but for all you ever will commit.
How
may you obtain what Christ's death has paid for?
As that lady acknowledged her poverty, and inability to pay, so must you be
willing to acknowledge your spiritual poverty, and admit that you are unable to pay
the redemption price of your soul. Only
when that confession is made will you be in a position to receive God's GIFT of
eternal life, and it must be received as a GIFT, for it cannot be bought, "The
wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our
Lord" (Romans 6:23).
Her
dead husband had provided all the money his wife would ever need, and his death made
it available to her. For the three years
following his death, she had been struggling to make unnecessary payments.
If you are depending on church membership, morality, giving, etc., as a means
of saving your soul from hell and fitting it for heaven, you are guilty of the same
folly. The price of your redemption has
already been paid in full, and Christ's death has made available to you a full and
absolutely free salvation.
Had
that lady read the insurance policy, and believed what it said, those three years of
penury could have been three years of plenty. Read
your Bible. Discover what riches are
available to you through Christ's death and resurrection, and make them yours by
simply believing what God has written, for example, "God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
"He that believeth on him (Christ) is not condemned: but he that believeth
not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18).
"He
that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36).
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