A Christian missionary in India had befriended a devoted Hindu and had explained that salvation is a gift. Then one day the Hindu told the missionary he was going to crawl many miles on his knees to Delhi as a means of earning salvation. But before he left he gave the missionary a small, heavy box.
“I have had this box for years,” said the Hindu. “I keep one thing in it. Now I will tell you about it. I once had a son.”
“A son?” the missionary responded. “Why you never told me you had a son?”
“My son was an excellent pearl diver. One day he found the most beautiful pearl, one of the largest ever found off the coast of India. But he had stayed under the water too long and he died soon after he recovered the pearl. I have kept the pearl. And now I want to give it to you.”
“This is an amazing pearl,” the missionary said. “Let me buy it. I’ll give you $10,000 for it, or if it takes more I will work for it.”
“Friend,” the Hindu said, “this pearl is beyond all price. No man in all the world has money enough to pay what the pearl is worth to me. I will not sell it to you. You may have it as a gift.”
“No, I cannot accept that. As much as I want the pearl, I cannot accept it that way. I must pay for it or work for it,” said the missionary.
The old diver was stunned.
“You don’t understand. Don’t you see? My only son gave his life to get this pearl. And I would not sell it for any money. It’s worth is in the lifeblood of my son. I cannot sell this, but I can give it to you. Just accept it as a token of the love I bear you,” said the Hindu.
The missionary could not speak for a moment. Then he gripped the hand of the old man. “Don’t you see,” the missionary said in a low voice, “that is just what you have been saying to God.”
The Hindu looked searchingly at the missionary and slowly, slowly he began to understand.
“God is offering you heaven as a free gift. It is so great that no man on earth could own it. No man on earth could earn it. No man is good enough to deserve it. It cost God the lifeblood of His only son to make the entrance for you into heaven. In a million years, in a hundred pilgrimages, you cannot earn that entrance. All you can do is to accept it as a token of God’s love for you as a sinner. Of course, I will accept the pearl in great humility, praying God I may be worthy of your love. Won’t you accept God’s gift of heaven, too, in deep humility, knowing it cost Him the death of His son to offer it to you?”
“Friend, I see now. I have believed in the doctrine of Jesus Christ for years, but I could not believe that this salvation was free. Now I understand some things are too priceless to be bought or earned. Friend, I will accept His salvation.”
Jesus Christ rose again to show that God accepted Christ’s offering for our salvation. Salvation is too great a price for us to pay and too great a sacrifice for God to accept payment for. Now do you understand why salvation is free?
Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons on the way to church every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on 98.9 WSIP FM. To read more of Pastor Jack Ward’s articles and hear his sermons at Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church go to tomahawkmbc.com. Watch his sermons on his Facebook page. Find him on Rumble, Bitchute and Brighteon video platforms.