Hope of Heaven

The team from the Sowers Class arrived early Saturday to set up a table with gospel tracts and cold water.

Jim was having a great morning, riding along the Constitution Trail. The temperature was perfect at about 65 degrees AJ got him to stop with an offer of free water. I asked Jim if he believed in an afterlife. "Sure" he said.

Heaven and Hell?"

"Yes."

"Where are you going?"

""Heaven, I hope." Jim said. Man, if I had a new tract for every time I get that answer I probably wouldn't be running out of them right now!

Jim considered himself to be among the 'good people' inhabiting this earth. "I wonder if you'd let me test that theory, Jim?"

"Sure, why not?" he said.

When I asked Jim to review his life and give me the number of lies that he's told, he hesitated. Finally he said, "Quite a few."
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"Me too, Jim. I couldn't even give you a number. Have you ever used God's name in vain? You know, OMG?"

"Yes, I've done that."

"Blasphemy is really serious. God said, He won't hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain-did you know that? What about adultery? Ever done that?"

"No, I've never done that!" he exclaimed.

"The seventh Commandment says, 'Don't commit adultery but Jesus kicked it up a notch when He came. He said, 'Whover looks at another person with a sexual or immoral thought is guilty in their heart.' Ever looked at another person that way Jim?"

Jim was silent for a moment and then quietly nodded to the affirmative.

"If God judged you today, Jim would you be guilty or innocent of breaking His law?"

"Guilty."

"Heaven or Hell for you?" I asked.

"Well, I still think I would go to Heaven...I believe in God."

"So do demons Jim, are they going, too?"

"Well...no they aren't."

"It's not enough to 'believe' Jim. You've got to repent and put all of your faith in Jesus Christ. He's the only way in. John 14:6 says I am the way, the truth and the life-no man comes to the Father but by Me."

By now Jim was getting antsy on his bike and I could tell he wanted to leave. "Please take this little booklet and read it before you go to sleep. This is so important!"

"I will. Thanks for the conversation."

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.