“I’m going to get to heaven by being good,” the little girl at our hobby class told me.
“Let’s see who God says is going to hell,” I suggested. I opened my Bible to Revelation 21:8 and explained, “Here is a list of people who God says are going to be in hell.” As we read the list she told me she was not like those people; she had never murdered anyone, and she did not worship idols. Then we came to the word “liars.” She looked a little surprised.
“Have you ever told a lie?” I asked.
“Lots of times,” she admitted, nodding her head yes.
She saw that all the good things that she was doing to get to heaven were spoiled by her lies and other sins. We turned in the Bible to Romans 6:23 and she read, “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
“How much work do you have to do to get a gift?” I asked.
“None,” she answered. “You get a gift; you don’t work for it.”
“You can’t work your way to heaven by doing good things either,” I answered. “You see, getting to heaven is God’s gift to you. All you have to do is receive the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, thanking Him for dying on the cross for your sins.”
Right then and there she accepted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour, and received the gift of everlasting life now and forever.
The Lord Jesus loves you very much and wants to give you this same gift, too. Won’t you accept Him right now?
“But the fearful, and unbelieving... and murderers... and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8.
ML-10/10/1982