I have known a lot of people through the years who made it a practice to avoid the issue of their need for Jesus. They do so in the vain hope that their own morality will be their salvation. Actually, what they are counting on is that their lack of gross immorality is their ticket to not being punished.

You can see this idea in popular movies such as “Ghost” (1990... man, has it really been twenty years?), and in the television series “Ghost Whisperer” where in both cases “good” people go to a good place when they die and “bad” people go to a horrible place and all without any reference to God or Jesus at all.

The problem is that this is not the way the universe works.

Several years ago, I spoke with a fellow who was “on the road” and asking for quite a bit of financial help. He said he had plenty of money himself but lacked access to it temporarily and to “prove” it, promptly wrote me a “check” for several thousand dollars, which I could cash for myself when his funds became “active” again. He wrote this check on a plain piece of paper about the size of a check, carefully laying it out as if it were real, even adding details like the number of the oil well that would be providing the means to pay the check. Oh yes, he signed it for me too, explaining that he was one of the lost sons of John Wayne, assuring me that his “father’s” name and fortune would alone guarantee payment.

I actually can’t say whether he believed everything he was telling me or whether he simply thought I just looked that stupid.

What I’m saying is that there are some simple, inescapable truths we all have to face and we are not free to simply write our own checks as we go along.

The first inescapable truth is that all have sinned, you and me included. Just read some passages like Isaiah 64:6 Romans 3:23 & 1st John 1:8 & 10. Regardless of how well we try to live, morally speaking, we sin in many areas and on many occasions.

Secondly, the only reward for our sin is death, according to Isaiah 59:1-2 & Romans 6:23. Our sin separates us from God, who Himself is the only source of life in the universe.

Finally, Jesus is the only name under heaven whereby we must be saved. So said the apostle Peter in Acts 4:12. Knowing how lost we are, Jesus came in obedience to His Father and in love for us to save us from our own sin. What will God do with those who refuse or deny the need for His Son’s perfect and eternal gift?

You can write your own check if you want; but I don’t want to be there when you go to cash it.