Daily, I receive emails telling me I have won a $50 Amazon, Kohl’s, or other gift card. Or that for a small fee, a large sum of money will be released to me from a bank account in Nigeria (or elsewhere). I know these emails are scams, so I delete them before opening; the subject line is all I need to see. They promise things that are too good to be true.
One of my children and I recently saw a really nice, late-model used truck for sale online, for a very low price. Although we knew this was likely a scam, it was so enticing that we needed to know more. An email inquiry was answered, supposedly by a woman who had lost her husband and was moving across the country, selling the truck to get rid of bad memories. Our hearts were momentarily touched…but no obituary for her husband could be found, and the info she gave us didn’t quite make sense. A subsequent email from the “grieving widow” noted that the truck was over 1,000 miles away now, but if we just wire money to a local shipping company, the truck would be released and delivered to us. We were disappointed to have our suspicions confirmed, but knew from the start that it was too good to be true.
Each of us has sinned against a holy God. We deserve eternal separation from Him. Yet, in God’s incredible mercy, He made a way for us to be with Him forever and not take the punishment we deserve. That way is through Jesus Christ who, on the cross, took the punishment we deserve, and then arose three days later, defeating death. If we confess with our mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in our hearts that he has been raised from the dead, we are saved (Romans 10:9). This is the free gift of eternal life.
There are many schemes that are too good to be true, but this is not one. This is one thing you can believe with every fiber of your being. This is one thing you can stake your life on; it’s a sure thing. This is not too good to be true, it is good and it is true. Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15)!
