Saturday, January 23, 2016

100% Guarantee - Will you buy the warranty?

A friend of mine went into a store to buy a piece of electrical equipment. He had done his research and was confident that he was buying the best product within his price range. One of the things that mattered to him was the reliability of this particular brand. All the reviews that he had read had commented on the fact that it passed all the stringent tests with flying colours. When he had chosen the item and was walking to the checkout one of the store sales representatives approached him and asked if he needed any assistance. He replied that he was happy with what he had selected and was heading for the checkout desk to pay for it. The sales person asked if he would like to take out an extended warranty since the manufacturer’s warranty only lasted for 12 months and it was possible to purchase a warranty for 36 months, of course at considerable cost. He refused the offer since he believed the product to be very reliable.

The next day my friend went to work in the office and related this story to a few of his colleagues and was amazed to learn how much importance people place upon a ‘cast iron guarantee’. They began to tell him horror stories of commodities breaking down and becoming useless after a relatively short period of time. Thankfully the item purchased is still working very satisfactorily.

With society apparently placing great importance on a guarantee that may last for a few years, is it not amazing that so few want a commodity that is free, will never need replacement, is guaranteed eternally and brings nothing but real, deep joy and satisfaction both in time and eternity?

This ‘commodity’, which is hardly the right word to describe such a blessed possession, is the salvation of your precious, never dying soul. We are creatures of time but bound for eternity. At death the body begins to corrupt and soon returns to dust, but the soul goes on to eternity and exists in either heaven or hell for evermore. This latter place was, "prepared for the devil and his angels" Matthew 25.41, and was not intended for mankind. However, all who die refusing the salvation of God will share the devil’s doom. Yet there is good news. God loved humanity so much that He gave His Son so that all men could be saved. "For 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.

Please note the warranty, "should not perish". There is no ambiguity, no doubt, no if or maybe, it is clear and not open to misunderstanding. The Lord Jesus Christ stated quite clearly, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand" John 10.28,29. This is a cast iron warranty that all who believe on this glorious Person Who died on the cross of Calvary for the sins of guilty humanity will not perish. When asked the question, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" the apostolic reply was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" Acts 16.30,31. There was not the slightest hint of doubt. The Lord Jesus accomplished the work of redemption by His suffering upon the cross and God is eternally satisfied. The work will never need to be adjusted, reconditioned or amended in any way. He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" John 5.24.

Dear reader, please think beyond time and have an unbreakable guarantee for eternal bliss and glory.