A car had been stolen with something on board that caused great concern. 

So much so the police searched desperately while the local radio station pleaded with the thief to contact police.

On the front seat was a box of biscuits that, unknown to the thief, had been laced with poison. 

The owner prepared them for use as vermin bait.  Hence the urgency and police involvement, not to catch the thief for grand theft auto, but to save his life.  

This story is not too dissimilar to that of the first humans, Adam and Eve. 

They tried to steal something that was not theirs to take, namely a desire to be like God, leading them to eat of the forbidden fruit.

That theft or ‘fall’ as it is known, meant the poison of sin was passed onto all future descendants, including us. 

That means we are all guilty with no hope of rescuing ourselves from God’s penalty for sin – eternal death.

But, our penalty can be paid in full by a legally-qualified substitute.

Jesus Christ came as our substitute to rescue all who would give themselves up to Him. 

The gift of eternal life requires nothing of us but to surrender to Jesus. 

This surely is good news.

The Psalmist wrote, “But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble.” 

Jesus declared in the book of John, “I am the door.  If any man (or woman) enters by Me, he will be saved.”