A Hard Question, Answered

Our tiny redheaded daughter Abigail Rebecca Thompson was born with special needs on January 17, 1993. A birth defect and daily seizures caused severe mental and physical handicaps. Abbie never spoke a word in her twenty-one years, but she did begin walking at age six! Abigail was like a baby and she needed our constant care. Kids’ music, food, car rides, long baths, simple baby toys, and hearing her Daddy calling “Abigail!” were her favorite things. We did not expect these difficulties, but God helped us to lovingly care for her. Abigail’s body just wore out, and one night, she suddenly left us for heaven, leaving a huge empty space in our lives. God says, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). Abigail taught us so much: to give love expecting nothing in return, to be strong during difficulties, to have courage while fearful, to have faith and to trust God! Oh, how we loved Abigail, but do we wish her back with us? No!!! She is in heaven with God—the absolute best place in the universe! How do we know she is there? Because of what God says about the power of the gospel. The gospel—“good news”—is that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and three days later arose from the dead, paying the full price of sin so that people can escape hell. In the Bible, God says, “…Christ died for our sins…he was buried, … he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Even though she was a sinner by birth, on August 9, 2014, Abigail went immediately to heaven! Why? Because she was cute? No. Because of her Christian family? No. She went to heaven only because of what Jesus did for her. We sang “Jesus Loves Me This I Know” over and over to Abbie, but she could not know Jesus’ love or that she had “broken” God’s rules, earning her eternal death in hell. Since Abigail never understood her sin/her need of forgiveness, God did not hold her accountable for her sin. Romans 5:13 says that “…sin is not imputed when there is no law.” When Abigail died not knowing about her sin, her destiny became heaven. Why? Because Jesus, the perfect Son of God, died on the cross, shedding His blood to pay for every sin committed—including Abigail’s. It is only because of God’s mercy that she is right now enjoying His love in heaven! But what about you and your sin? Does your heart tell you that you have personally sinned against God? If so, you are responsible to God for your sin. Your conscience and the Bible—God’s Word—will tell you what sin against God is, and a holy God cannot let people into heaven whose sins are not forgiven. God wants to do this for you: “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). His mercy is yours if you will admit and turn from your sin, believing the gospel. God did not make “many ways” to get to heaven. There is one way—Jesus! 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us [sinners], who [Jesus] knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Will you believe what the Bible says and have your sins forgiven? God wants you to be with Him forever—not separated from Him forever in hell! Did you think the hard question was “Why did have to Abigail die so young?” It wasn’t—sin brings death to all. The hard question was “How do we know she is in heaven?” The simple answer is that Abigail is in heaven because God made it possible through Jesus Christ. While God doesn’t force His gift of salvation on anyone, He does offer it to all! By faith, you can accept it. Just as Abigail could do nothing to earn her place in heaven, neither can you. Please, read and think on the following Bible verses and then talk to God about them. You matter to God, and today, you can have two things: the peace of knowing that all your sins are forgiven and a relationship with God—right now and forever.   “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “For the wages [payment] of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life [heaven] through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “…Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel … repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15). “These things have I 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” (1 John 5:13). “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” (Romans 10:9). If you believe the gospel in your heart, you could say this to God: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out [remove] my transgressions [sins]” (Psalm 51:1).