“The finance director will see you now,” said a pleasant young woman.  “If you’ll step this way.  Here we are.  It’s just through there.”

“Thank you.”

“My pleasure.  Good luck.”

At the ominous word, “luck” the customer’s smile froze.  He shot a double-take at the quickly retreating back of his guide, then rapped hesitantly on the doorjamb of the director’s tiny, cramped workspace.  A large, powerfully built fellow emerged from behind an incongruously small desk and advanced toward him, right hand extended in greeting.

“Welcome,” he said cordially.  “You must be Mr. Withers.  Come in, come in,” he invited.  “Take a seat,” the man said, gesturing toward the only other chair in the room besides his own.

The customer sat on the proffered perch, looking uncomfortable and unsure of himself.   This drew a disarming grin from his genial host.  

“Relax, Mr. Withers,” he said soothingly.  “I’m the finance guy, not the Grim Reaper.  That’s the sales manager.  You’ve already met with him.”  The finance guy laughed at his own joke, as if telling it for the first time.  “Call me Bill,” he added.  Mr. Withers managed a faint facsimile of a smile, uncertain if this was another joke, at his expense.

“Congratulations on your purchase, by the way” said Bill, settling back into his chair.  “You bought the New Freedom model, I understand, with the Unfettered Lifestyle package.  An excellent choice.  Now then.  Let’s get on with the paperwork, shall we?  You don’t want to spend forever in here, am I right?”  Bill gave his guest a wry wink.  Withers nodded, feeling a bit less tense.

“This first sheet simply states that you have been offered free coverage under the Master’s unlimited 24×7 360° by 365-day protection plan, but prefer to self-insure.  Print your name here, sign at the ‘X’ there and…there.   Thank you.”  The paper was whisked away to a folder on the desktop, at the finance director’s elbow.

“The next one is a waiver, signifying that you understand and agree that you are forgoing all benefits claims, and or dividends that would have otherwise accrued to you under the Master’s policy.”

“What kind of benefits?” the customer wanted to know.

“Nothing much” Mr. Finance replied.  “Intangibles mostly.  Things like freedom from guilt and the fear of death, a ‘spirit of power, love and a sound mind’…(II Timothy 1:7) an untroubled heart and an otherworldly peace—” (John 14:27)

“Got it,” said Withers.  “You can skip the rest.  None of it can be quantified, anyway.”

“It really is immeasurable, isn’t it?” Bill agreed.  “If you’ll just Initial here, here, and here.  Fine.

“Continuing on.  This form certifies that your purchase of the New Freedom model with the Unfettered Lifestyle package is subject to certain exclusions.  Basically, it says that by declining coverage, you voluntarily forfeit all rights and privileges available to you 100% prepaid under the Master’s program—”

“Rights and privileges?” the customer interjected, a hint of rising alarm in his voice.  “Like what, for example?”

“Oh, like the privilege of a personal relationship with God, the right to become a child of God,  (John 1:12-13), ‘the right to the tree of life…[and] to enter in through the gates into the [royal] city’ [the New Jerusalem].” (Revelation 22:14)

“You had me worried for a minute there,” said Withers, exhaling loudly.  “A relationship with God is what I’m trying to avoid.  That’s why I bought the Freedom plan in the first place.”  He closed his eyes and quoted aloud from the sales brochure:

“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.” (Psalm 2:2-3).

“That’s certainly YOU, sir,” said Bill, admiringly.  He pointed to highlighted signature blanks.

“Oh, I don’t mind forfeiting my share of make believe” Withers continued, as he signed more autographs.    “Besides, you know what they say—’you get what you pay for.’  If it’s free, it can’t be worth much.”

The finance man nodded approvingly and returned to his paper shuffling.  “This” he said, pausing to slide the page over to his visitor, “is just some legalese. This paragraph states that under self-insurance you retain 100% of all risks, liabilities, and applicable penalties.  Initial next to the ‘non-transferable’ checkbox, if you would.

“This paragraph says that any and all amounts paid by you personally are non-refundable, meaning that you will not get your investment back.  Initial at the ‘X’ please.

“The third and last paragraph says that there is no ‘cooling off period’ for buyer’s remorse.  [‘No cooling off’ thought Finance Guy to himself.  ‘You can say that again!’]  Since you have declined emergency assistance, your decision to bear all costs yourself is irrevocable, should anything happen to you.  “You may expire, but your choice never will,” he chortled, seeming pleased with himself.  “Initial next to the ‘non-cancellable’ checkbox, sign and date at the bottom.  Very good.

“Just a few more of these forms and you’ll be on your way.  This one says that you understand you are signing a legally binding contract, to which certain terms and conditions apply.  Print your name there and sign right below.

“This one acknowledges that you have received a copy of the privacy policy, and—full disclosure—it’s very transparent.  ^‘For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.  Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.’ (Luke 12:2-3). Just initial and sign.  Good.

“This next form is a declaration that you understand you must faithfully discharge all your duties and keep all your promises under the agreement and that a single failure to do so, regardless of fault or excuse, puts you in breach of this covenant.  ‘For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.’ (James 2:10)  It’s pretty standard boilerplate.

“Lawyers!” chuckled Bill, shrugging his shoulders and showing his palms.  He paused long enough to collect Mr. Withers’ signature.

“Just a few more,” the director assured him, sighing sympathetically.

“This one is your acknowledgement that no warranty of any kind has been offered or purchased.  I just need your initials there.  Great.

“This one states that there is no coverage for acts of God ‘nor for anything else, for that matter,’ whispered Bill. “That means no waiting period or other deductibles, so you can get right out there and enjoy your new freedom!

“Last one” announced the finance director, his voice friendly and cheerful, as he waived the final piece of paperwork aloft.  “Ah, yes—the guarantee.  This simply certifies that by opting out of the prepaid Master’s Plan, you are the recipient of the undiluted wrath of God, direct beneficiary of physical and spiritual death and possessor of a fully secured reservation in the Lake of Fire, valid for all eternity…unbreakable, in fact,” muttered Bill, under his breath.

“Now there’s just the little matter of the unpaid balance…” (the finance director made a great show of consulting tables, pounding away on his calculator, and scribbling furiously on a notepad). Turning to face Mr. Withers, he said matter-of-factly:

“Looks like your own soul should be adequate to fund your new godless lifestyle.”  As he said this, the director tore off a length of old-fashioned adding machine tape. “Take this to the cashier when your name is called.  You shouldn’t have long to wait.  It’s always shorter than you think.”

Feeling weak and unsteady, Mr. Withers accepted the tape, allowed “Bill” to shake his free hand, and stumbled, dazed, out the door.  He paled just a little, as he suddenly recalled a long-forgotten Bible verse he must have heard ages ago, and which had somehow remained buried in his subconscious until now: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

“This is my favorited part,’ thought the finance director to himself, watching Withers go.  “What can I say?  I love my job!”

HOW TO BE SAVED:

• Admit to God that you are a sinner (that you have not kept His moral law to perfection; in your thoughts, words, and actions you have done what His law forbids and have failed to do what His love demands).  This is seeing yourself from God’s point of view and agreeing that He is right about you.  Be as specific as you can.
• Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.
• Sincerely repent (turn away) from your sins, asking God to forgive you and to use His power to help you resist temptation, no matter how strong the pull of sin may be, at first.
• Acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life.  Invite Him to move into your heart and take up residence there, so that He can change you from the inside out.
• Trust His promise to save you and give you a new spiritual birth and a new nature (thoughts, desires, priorities, hopes, dreams, and character).

SOME KEY TRUTHS:

• “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)
• “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”  (Romans 3:10)
• “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)
• “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)
• “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”  (I Corinthians 15:3,4)
• “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)
• “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him…”  (Revelation 3:20)
• “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13)
• “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  (Romans 10:9-10)
• “Verily, verily, I say unto you; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)
• “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name.”  (John 20:31) 
• “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”  (I John 5:13)