Dan was a rugged individual, a Pennsylvania farmer; but he was also a lost sinner and he knew it. How he did long to know he was saved! Sad to say, his confidence was that prayers and good works were the means to that end. To his sister he insisted that if he said his prayers and did the best he could he would surely go to heaven. No argument she could advance dislodged him from this forlorn hope.
On a certain day his sister quoted this version of John 3:2626And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. (John 3:26) to him: "God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever does the best he can and says his prayers, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”
She followed this with a paraphrase of 1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15): "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save those who do the best they can and say their prayers.”
"Jennie," Dan asked, "is that in the Bible?”
"No, but that's the way you want it.”
Sometime later he saw his sister again.
"Jennie," he exclaimed, "I'm saved!”
"Are you? How do you know you are saved?”
"Well, it's not what I have done, nor what you have done, but what Christ has done!”
"That's it," Jennie agreed happily. "The work is finished, all done! Jesus paid it all!”
"Safe in Christ, safe in Christ,
They shall perish never;
None can pluck them from His hand,
Never, never, NEVER!”