FORTY POUNDS OF DIRT
You see, topsoil, among other bulky items, is stocked out front, not in the store itself. If you come to the store sincerely wanting forty pounds of dirt, you must pay for it first. Your friendly cashier will hand you a receipt, which certifies that you have paid your ninety-seven cents (plus tax). If you have the receipt, you are entitled to the dirt. You simply take the receipt to an outside worker at our garden center. He will check your receipt and load your forty pounds of dirt into your vehicle. The dirt, the bag, and the receipt go home with you.
Let's look at a couple of variations on this theme. First, what would happen if someone else wanted to pay for your dirt? Is that allowable? I can't imagine why not. If another person wants to go through the checkout line, spend the ninety-seven cents, and give you the receipt, that is between the two of you. Our garden center workers require a valid receipt before they will give you forty pounds of dirt. The lawful procedure by which you came to have the receipt is not their concern.
Shall we get ridiculous? Let's suppose that a local eccentric millionaire, Mr. Calvin Armin, has decided that no one in town who sincerely wants dirt should go without it. He has set up an endowment that will fund the purchase of forty pounds of dirt at my store for anyone who wants it.
Now when a customer comes through checkout, the cashier says, "Would you like forty pounds of dirt with that order? It's free on request." Some customers will scoff: "Free dirt!? Sounds like you've been listening to Mad Cal Armin. He's not real. Neither is his money, and neither is his dirt! Count me out!" Some will hesitate and analyze: "I've heard about that. Reckon what his angle is? I think it's all a tax write-off!" Some will delay: "When I need dirt to be buried in, I'll come here first." Some will simply laugh and shake their heads.
Many customers will accept the offer. "Free? I'll take it!" "You know, I really do need a bag." "I've always wanted to own land, and here's my chance!" However anyone reacts, the offer was made by grace, Calvin Armin's decision to be nice to us. Each customer decides by his free will whether he will get the dirt or not. Every customer is called to take advantage of the offer, but only those who answer the call are chosen to receive forty pounds of dirt.
Those who have accepted the offer of forty pounds of dirt at no charge must be identified. They are given a receipt at the register. This receipt is proof of the transaction, proof of entitlement, and the mark of ownership. At the time of the transaction, those who have accepted the offer of forty pounds of free dirt are destined in advance to receive the bag. Although Mr. Calvin Armin's foreknowledge of who would accept his offer was imperfect (as is this analogy at this point), he did know that some would accept it. His endowment was adequate to pay for forty pounds of dirt for everyone. If anyone leaves my store with no dirt, Mr. Calvin Armin is not to blame.
Jesus paid for our salvation in advance. It is our duty as Christians to tell this message to those who are not yet saved. Reactions to the gospel will vary; and because we don't know who will believe our report, we must not deny anyone a chance to hear it.
By free will, everyone chooses his response to God's grace. Although all are called to trust in Jesus, only those who accept the call are chosen to receive eternal life. Those called and chosen receive the Holy Spirit. He is proof of salvation's transaction, proof of our entitlement to God's promises to His children, and the mark of His ownership of us. At salvation, Christians are predestined to receive all the rights and privileges the Bible lists, right up to a home in Heaven. God's foreknowledge of who will accept His offer of salvation is complete. However, Jesus died for both those who accept His offer and those who reject it. If anyone leaves Earth with no guarantee of Heaven, God is not to blame.
Some people try to make God's love for us, His grace toward us, and the salvation that results impossibly complex. While we might not ever understand why God would offer us salvation, He has certainly done so. How we can respond and be eternally saved is really a simple matter. Anyone who is willing can have eternal life. Its great cost was borne by Jesus. Though the value of the life Jesus bought for us is beyond calculation, our part in the transaction is not too different from laying claim to forty pounds of dirt.
The Papers That Aren't Two Pages