Wouldn’t it be fun to take a tour of the White House where many of the presidents of the United States have lived while in office? However, it would take a lot of planning to go to Washington, D.C., where the White House is located. We could drive there or take a train or fly in an airplane to one of the airports close by.
But first of all, we would have to contact a Member of Congress from the state in which we live for a tour application. And we would need to do that at least three weeks or more before the date of our tour. The Congressman may need to check to be certain we are citizens of the United States. He may also need to check certain state records to see if we had ever been arrested or been in prison. For those of you who live in other countries, you can come too, but you would need to contact your country’s embassy in Washington, D.C., for help in submitting a tour application.
Once the Congressman approved each of our tour applications and sent them to us, then anybody 18 years old or older would also have to be sure to take a government-issued photo with them for identification. And the information on that photo identification would have to match exactly what each one had written on their tour application before we would be cleared to go inside the White House. If something didn’t match exactly, the security officer checking us in would say to that person, “Sorry, you cannot go into the White House.” However, if everything matched, then he would give each one the “okay” to go inside for the tour.
You know, it’s actually easier to be allowed into heaven than the White House! To enter heaven, there’s no application to be filled out, you don’t have to have a photo identification, and it doesn’t matter which country you live in. Since heaven is God’s home, He does have one rule that has to be followed exactly, because there can never be any sin in heaven, not even one! In His book, the Bible, God tells you how you can be washed clean from every sin you’ve ever committed and any future sins too. Once your sins are gone, God will welcome you into heaven with open arms, for He is a God of love.
Long ago God completed His plan for sinners to have their sins removed forever so they can enter heaven. It was a very costly plan, because it meant He had to send His beloved Son down into this world full of sin and be nailed to a cross where He shed His precious blood so that sinners could be washed from their sins. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). That was His full purpose in coming.
Do you know who God’s Son is? His name is Jesus, and He loves sinners. He paid the full price for the sins of any sinner who will believe what the Bible says: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). Even if that believing person might have been arrested or been in prison, his record will be wiped totally clean!
I’m sure the White House tour is very interesting and well worth the work necessary to be able to take the tour, and it is free—no admission charge. But even better, there is no work for you to do to be able to enter heaven. And no car, train or airplane is needed to take you there.
Jesus has done it all, and it is free for all eternity! All you need to do is confess to Him that you are a sinner and believe in your heart that He paid the price with His blood to cover your sins! Will you do that right now so that you are ready to enter heaven when God says your time here on earth is finished?
ML-01/05/2014