PaperFoldingAndCutting(Salvation)

ForGodsolovedtheworldthatHegaveHisonlybegottenSon,thatwhosoeverbelievesinHim,shouldnot

perish,buthaveeverlastinglife.John3:16

TheBasicBibleTruth

Everyonehumanbeinghasacriticalproblemcalledsin. WefallshortoftheperfectionofGod,andtheconsequenceof that is thedeathpenalty. WealldeservedeathandHell. Left toourowndevices,wewouldnever search forGod. ButGod…themostamazing twowords in theBible. God lovesus. Thattruthisimpossibletoexplaincompletely.GodlovedussomuchthatHesentJesustothecrosstopaythepriceforoursinsandsaveusfromthepunishmentwedeserved.Wedon’tliketotalkaboutHell,butitisaveryrealplacereservedforallofthosewhointhisliferejecttheSaviour.Atdeath,theBibleteachesthateveryonecontinuessomewhere.AndthereareonlytwochoiceslistedintheBible.Andthechoiceismade prior to death. After death, the decision cannot be changed. Wewill either spend an eternityburninginthetormentofHell,orwewillspendeternityenjoyingthegrandeursofHeaven.

TheObject

OnePieceOfPaperAScissors

Thisobject lesson isa“simpletoprepare”visualpresentationof theGospel inarelativelysmallgroupsetting.Thepieceofpaperisfoldedasfollows:

Afterthecuthasbeenmade,unfoldalloftheindividualpiecesofpaperthathavenowbeencreated.Youwillneedeach.Theycanbearrangedinthefollowingtwoways:

TheLesson

Thelessonisasimplepresentationofthetruthaboutsalvation. Thatweallhaveaproblemcalledsin.The penalty for any and all sin is death and punishment in an eternal place called Hell. Hell is anunimaginably terrible place. Somemay say that a loving God cannot sentence people to that kind ofeternity.TheBiblesaysthatHecanandwill.Itisthatsimple.Wedon’tmaketherules,Hedoes.Ontheothersideofthecoin, forthosewhohaveacceptedHimastheirLordandSavior,aneternityofincrediblebeautyandwonderawaits. ItisaplacecalledHeaven. Butasitiswritten,Eyehathnotseen,norearheard,neitherhaveenteredintotheheartofman,thethingswhichGodhathpreparedforthemthatlovehim.IICorinthians2:9.Whilethisversemaywellbetalkingaboutthingshereonthisearth,Ibelievethat it is also talking ofHeaven, theplaceGodhasprepared for thosewho loveHim. Think themostfantasticthoughtyoucanthinkabouthowwonderfulHeavenmightbesomeday.Andknowthatyouarenotevenclosetoimagininghowincredibleitwillbe. OurmindsarenotcapableofcomprehendingthefullgloryofGod.AndGodoffersthisincrediblegifttoanyone—anyonewhoacknowledgesthatJesusisGodandthatHecametosaveusfromourselvesandoursin.Godislove.Itissuchasimplestatementbuthasaprofoundtruthbehindit.Weoftenseeloveassimplyanemotionora feelingandwe liveour livesgovernedby thatdescription. Rarelydowe loveasGodloves—unconditionally. Godcouldhavetoldusoverandoverwhattrueloveslookslikeandwemighthavedevelopedareasonableunderstandingofthetruth.ButHechosetodemonstrateHislove.Andthatdemonstrationwassoincredible,eventheangelsisHeavenarewatchingthisthingcalledsalvationplayouthereonthisearthinwideeyedwonder.Wecannotpaythepriceforourfailures.WesimplycannotsufficeaholyGodwithanythingthatwecanoffer.Wehavenothingofvaluetogiveinexchangeforoursouls.ThebestthatwecanofferisasfilthyragscomparedtotheabsoluteperfectholinessofGod.Withoutsomeonesteppinginwiththeabilitytopaythecost,wewouldsurelydiebecausewedeserveit.WehaveearnedaplaceinHell,butGod’slovestepsinthatnooneneedperishinthefiresofHell.HisgraceisdeeperthanthedeepestpitofHell.ButtherequirementisthatweacceptandbelieveHim.Thatlaststepisdifficultformany.TheCreatoroftheuniversesteppedoutofHeavenandcametousasoneofus,asahumanbeing,andlivedamongus.LayingasideHisHeavenlyprerogatives,Hesufferedanunimaginablypainfulbeatingandvoluntarilydiedtopaytheultimateandcompletepriceforoursins.WemustseethisforwhattheBibleclaimsittobe,andthatisthefactthathadonlyonepersoninallofhistoryacceptedHisgiftofsalvation,

Christwouldhavegonetothecrossforthatone.Hisloveisthatdeepandawesome.ButHealsowenttothecrossforthosewhorejectHimaswell.Thefinalresult is thatGodcannowpointtothecrossandwithconfidenceproclaimthat it is finished;lovehasbeendemonstratedforalltoseeandtoconsider.Eternityhangsinthebalanceandweholdthekeytoourfuture.Wherewespendforeverdependsonthechoicewemaketoday.ScripturetakenfromtheHolyBible,NEWINTERNATIONALVERSION®,NIV®Copyright©1973,1978,1984,2011byBiblica,Inc.®Usedbypermission.Allrightsreservedworldwide.