BOGO?

          My wife and I took a couponing class many years ago and learned of a clever marketing tool called BOGO – Buy One Get One Free or Buy One Get One At A Discounted Price. It is a successful marketing idea to move as much merchandise as possible. We have taken advantage of BOGO many times when shopping. It is very helpful in saving money.
          One area where BOGO doesn’t work is in salvation. Just because I get saved it doesn’t mean that my child can come to Heaven with me as my “free” salvation partner. Each one must be accountable for our own salvation. Just because your grandma is a great Christian lady you can’t go to Heaven on her faith. She can “share” her faith with you by telling you about Jesus and His plan of salvation. But you have to choose to receive that salvation on your own. No one goes to Heaven on someone else’s faith.
          Another problem with the BOGO idea is when it comes to salvation is who paid for it. When I go to the store and buy an item and they give me another one for free then that is how BOGO works. I paid for one and got the other one for free. When it comes to salvation I can’t do anything on my own to pay for my salvation. I can’t give my salvation to someone else as a bonus. Jesus is the ONLY one who was qualified to pay the price for Salvation and He willingly did it for whosoever will receive it.
          Sometimes BOGO is used to buy one and get another one at a discounted price. When Jesus went to the cross to pay for our sins, He paid the FULL PRICE. He gave His life, His blood, His dignity, His pride, every aspect of Himself to pay the price IN FULL for our sins. No discounted salvation. We cheapen His sacrifice for our sins by watering it down or disgracing it by keeping on sinning after we have accepted His gift of salvation.
          You can’t give anyone else the gift of salvation but you can tell them of the one who paid the price for their sins so that they can go to Heaven. Another person is the only thing that you can take to Heaven. By that, I mean that you can’t take gold, silver or any worldly possessions. But you can invest in another person and when they get saved you will be together for all eternity in Heaven.
In love with Jesus – Gary Mimbs