PRE-FORGIVEN!
20/09/09 19:13
While getting the mail
the other morning and just glancing through the stack
of envelopes, there was one that caught my eye in
particular. It had written on the front in big, bold,
blue letters: “YOU’VE BEEN PRE-FORGIVEN
–Open to find out how.”
My first thought was that we had received material from some Christian ministry or something. Wrong. It was an advertisement from a major auto insurance company. They wanted to sell me their insurance! In other words; I could be forgiven at the right price! So, doesn’t that void their statement altogether? Don’t I have to pay before they will consider forgiving me?
I opened the letter just to see what they had to say. Good news, my insurance premiums will not go up even after my first accident. I would like to see the fine print on that clause. “Okay, we’ll give you one accident, but after that… you have to understand, we need to make money in order to stay in business.” I am so thankful that I was pre-forgiven, not just for my first sin, but all my sins!
Could you imagine if God said to you, “Okay, We’ll forgive that first offense but every offense after that, you are going to have to pay for.” If God came to me with that offer I’d say, “That’s bunk!” And then He would say, “Well, there’s your second offense.” The company tells me that if I join them they will forgive me before anything happens. Then they say parenthetically, “If only all of life were like that.” Go figure.
If I am wrong, somebody needs to correct me, but isn’t the idea of purchasing insurance to possess some financial assurance in case I have an accident? These folks are telling me that I’m going to get into one and I need to be with them because, well –they have already pre-forgiven me! Then there’s the MINOR VIOLATION FORGIVENESS. Give me a break! I would like to know what they consider minor. And what if I had more than one minor violation? Oh, they’ll forgive me for parking in a tow-away zone, but not if I park in a handicap zone. I can be forgiven at four miles an hour over the speed limit, but at five, I’m going to pay.
Finally, they try to get my business by offering, “On my side –rewards!” where I can customize my coverage to meet my particular needs. Wait a minute. I still have to pay for these customized coverages don’t I? Then, why are they telling me they are rewards?
You know what? Christianity still offers the best insurance policy. We have been forgiven since the foundations of the earth and not only has Jesus Christ forgiven the first sin, He has forgiven all sin, every one of them! He has forgiven the minor sins (those sins that you know you did yourself ) And those major sins, those same sins that you did –but this time it was somebody else. There is no premium to pay to get this forgiveness.
The premium has already been paid and besides, you and I couldn’t make enough money to even attempt to purchase this insurance. And that’s another thing; it’s not insurance that I’m looking for. I’m looking for assurance! Insurance guarantees me in case of loss, this makes me think that I’m okay for right now. Assurance let’s me know that I am forgiven –because I have already suffered loss. God’s plan for the salvation of man is perfect and the price was the life of His Son, Jesus. He paid the Premium and our account was settled long ago!
And the Blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin!
Have a God blessed week!
Pastor Jim
My first thought was that we had received material from some Christian ministry or something. Wrong. It was an advertisement from a major auto insurance company. They wanted to sell me their insurance! In other words; I could be forgiven at the right price! So, doesn’t that void their statement altogether? Don’t I have to pay before they will consider forgiving me?
I opened the letter just to see what they had to say. Good news, my insurance premiums will not go up even after my first accident. I would like to see the fine print on that clause. “Okay, we’ll give you one accident, but after that… you have to understand, we need to make money in order to stay in business.” I am so thankful that I was pre-forgiven, not just for my first sin, but all my sins!
Could you imagine if God said to you, “Okay, We’ll forgive that first offense but every offense after that, you are going to have to pay for.” If God came to me with that offer I’d say, “That’s bunk!” And then He would say, “Well, there’s your second offense.” The company tells me that if I join them they will forgive me before anything happens. Then they say parenthetically, “If only all of life were like that.” Go figure.
If I am wrong, somebody needs to correct me, but isn’t the idea of purchasing insurance to possess some financial assurance in case I have an accident? These folks are telling me that I’m going to get into one and I need to be with them because, well –they have already pre-forgiven me! Then there’s the MINOR VIOLATION FORGIVENESS. Give me a break! I would like to know what they consider minor. And what if I had more than one minor violation? Oh, they’ll forgive me for parking in a tow-away zone, but not if I park in a handicap zone. I can be forgiven at four miles an hour over the speed limit, but at five, I’m going to pay.
Finally, they try to get my business by offering, “On my side –rewards!” where I can customize my coverage to meet my particular needs. Wait a minute. I still have to pay for these customized coverages don’t I? Then, why are they telling me they are rewards?
You know what? Christianity still offers the best insurance policy. We have been forgiven since the foundations of the earth and not only has Jesus Christ forgiven the first sin, He has forgiven all sin, every one of them! He has forgiven the minor sins (those sins that you know you did yourself ) And those major sins, those same sins that you did –but this time it was somebody else. There is no premium to pay to get this forgiveness.
The premium has already been paid and besides, you and I couldn’t make enough money to even attempt to purchase this insurance. And that’s another thing; it’s not insurance that I’m looking for. I’m looking for assurance! Insurance guarantees me in case of loss, this makes me think that I’m okay for right now. Assurance let’s me know that I am forgiven –because I have already suffered loss. God’s plan for the salvation of man is perfect and the price was the life of His Son, Jesus. He paid the Premium and our account was settled long ago!
And the Blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin!
Have a God blessed week!
Pastor Jim
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