Unacceptable Payment

Bill Brinkworth

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

Christopher eyed the video game one more time. The young, potential customer glanced at the counter salesman, before he dug into his jean pockets. He was determined to buy that game. Imaginative visions of flying through space on his video game starship encouraged him to search his pockets even deeper.

He managed to wrestle out of its denim prison one wiggling frog, which he pridefully placed on the store’s counter top. “Will you take this frog, and,” he then dug his dirty hand into another pocket and extruded three, long red licorice twists, and placed them next to the gribbeting amphibian, “and these three pieces of candy?”

“Young man,” the grimacing clerk answered, “We cannot take your frog or your candy. The price of that game is $29.95. You need that amount to walk out of here with the game.”

A persistent hand dove into a jacket pocket and produced a baseball mitt. “Well, this glove is one of the best you can buy. It is worth far more than $29.95. Won’t you take the glove for that game?”

The clerk shook his head.

“How’s about the glove, candy, the frog, and,” and out his seemingly endless supply of pockets produced one more item and banged it on the countertop, “this packet of baseball cards. It’s got to be worth something.”

“Young man, I appreciate your effort, but the only payment acceptable is $29.95. That is the only currency we recognize here.”

The boy wandered away returning all his valuables to their denim storage facility. “It just ain’t right,” the boy muttered as he left the store, “It seems to me that my stuff is worth more than that lousy $29.95.”

Many think in a similar manner about salvation. God says the only payment acceptable for anyone’s sins is the blood of His only Son, Jesus. Man still tries to pay for his way to heaven with his own currency. Many try to pay for entrance into heaven with their good works. “Surely,” they think, “if my good deeds out-weigh the bad things I have done, God will like what I have done, and let me in.” “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” — John 14:6

Our charitable donations, helping others, religious acts, sacrificial efforts, and good works may be good things to do, but they will not earn anyone a ticket to heaven. Those deeds are the frogs, candy, and baseball cards that God will not accept as payment to heaven. Accepting the payment that Christ paid with His blood is the only way anyone will get to heaven.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

The article was featured in The Bible View #310.

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