Yesterday, we established the fact that Christ’s blood was sufficient to pay for the sins of everyone in the world. But has it been effective to save all people as well? Will Hitler and Osama bin Laden be in Heaven simply because Jesus paid for their sins?

This example will help us understand this concept: Suppose our church set aside $1 million in a special fund for people in need. Not long afterward, two ladies in the church lost their homes to foreclosure. With nowhere to live, one woman called a friend and explained her predicament, while the other appealed to the church for assistance. Which woman would receive aid from the church if her need qualified for the set-aside funds?

The answer is obvious: the woman who asked the church for help would receive it. This doesn’t mean there were insufficient resources to meet the other woman’s needs. The church fund was sufficient for anyone who needed help, but it was effective only for those who asked for it. The same is true of salvation. Jesus died to pay for the sins of every person who has ever lived – past, present, and future. But only those who accept this gift by faith will be saved. God will not force Himself on anyone. That is Universalism. Instead, God gives man the free will to accept or reject His gift.

The implications of this Biblical truth are far-reaching. Because man is free to choose, then God cannot be charged with sending people to Hell; man chooses his eternal fate for himself. It also means mankind is without excuse for rejecting God’s offer of eternal life.

I do not believe Adolf Hitler and Osama bin Laden are in Heaven right now because from all indications they rejected Christ as their Savior. But they could have been saved if they believed in Christ before they died. Are you sure that you will be in Heaven when you die? After death, it’s too late to make this decision. Get the matter settled today.