“Daddy, are we lost?” Dad was a bit surprised at this question from his six-year-old son, Caleb. Before he could answer Caleb was saying, “Mr. Boulton said the Bible tells us we are all lost sinners. What did he mean by ‘lost'? How did we get lost?”
“Slow down,” said Dad, “one question at a time. First of all, we have all done things or had thoughts that are not pleasing to God. These are sins, so that means we are sinners. Our sins make us afraid of God, so we try to hide from Him. Every time we sin we try to hide or get away from God, so we get farther and farther away from God. Since we can’t find our way back by ourselves, God says we are lost—lost sinners.”
“But, Daddy,” Caleb continued to question, “is Cindy lost, too? She can’t even walk or talk yet.” (Cindy was the newest member of the Thompson family, only eight months old.)
“Maybe you had better sit here with me,” suggested Dad, “and I’ll try to explain.”
“On your lap?” asked Caleb.
“OK,” answered Dad, “on my lap.” Caleb loved to talk things over with him, just like grown-ups do.
“First, there is a verse in the Bible,” began his father, “that tells us we are all lost sinners. Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)—’All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.’ It doesn’t use the exact words ‘lost sinners,’ but it means that. When our first parents, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God and sinned they became lost, and all their children who were born after were lost, too.
“Do you remember when Uncle Ben’s sheep found a hole in the fence and wandered away and were lost? Well, while they were lost a little lamb was born, so this little lamb was lost too. If there had been more lambs born they all would have been lost, just like their parents. All the children who are born into this world are born lost, because their parents are lost.
“Now, do you remember what Uncle Ben did when he discovered that his sheep were gone?”
“He looked for them a long time before he found them,” remembered Caleb. “And then he went with his truck to bring them all home.”
“That’s right,” said Dad, “but that wasn’t all. He had to pay another farmer for all the damage they did to his farm while they were lost.
“That’s the way it was with Adam and Eve. God created them and they belonged to Him, just like the sheep belonged to Uncle Ben. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and tried to hide from Him. That’s how they became lost, just like the sheep. Just as Uncle Ben looked for his sheep, God sent His Son the Lord Jesus into this world to seek and to save us by dying on the cross for us.”
“Why did Jesus have to die, Daddy?” asked Caleb. “Uncle Ben didn’t.”
“Because,” explained Dad, “even though God loves us He must punish our sins, and the punishment for sins is death. God says in Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23), ‘The wages of sin is death.’ Uncle Ben could pay for the wrong things his sheep had done with money, but the Lord Jesus had to die to pay for our sins. That’s why the Bible says we were not redeemed (bought back) with silver or gold (money), but with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18,1918Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18‑19)). Tor God so loved the world (that means you and me and everyone), that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:1616For 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)).’ "
“What does perish mean, Daddy?”
“You remember we said that God must punish sins?” asked Dad.
Caleb nodded yes.
“Well, to perish means that God will put sinners into a place of great darkness and terrible suffering forever and ever. But God loves us and doesn’t want that to happen. If we believe that Jesus died and shed His blood to pay for our sins, and ask God to save us from the punishment of our sins, He will. God has promised in Romans 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13), ‘Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ That’s how we are saved.
“But little Cindy can’t understand all this, so God has promised that if the Lord should come, or if she should die now, Jesus’ blood would pay all that is needed so that He can take her to His home in heaven.”
“How do you know she will be in heaven, Daddy?” asked Caleb.
“The Bible tells us that too,” answered Dad. “The Lord Jesus was talking about little children when He was here on earth and said, ‘The Son of man is come to save that which was lost’ (Matt. 18:1111For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. (Matthew 18:11)) and, ‘Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish (Matt. 18:1414Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:14)).’ The Lord Jesus was telling us that little children will go to be with Him in heaven even though they were born lost.”
How about you boys and girls who are reading this? Are you thinking that it’s not your fault that you were born lost? That may be true, but whose fault is it if you are still lost after God has made a way to save you?
“The Lord... is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish (or be lost), but that all should come to repentance (be saved).” 2 Peter 3:99The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9). “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us.” Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). God does not want us to perish. He loves us and has made a way to save us. If you are still lost it is really your own fault, because you have not asked God to save you. He is able and willing to save you right now. If you will confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved (Rom. 10:9,109That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9‑10)). “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13))" is God’s promise to save all who believe on Him.
ML-08/29/1982