Publisher's Synopsis
What Is The Best Gift Of All?
Is it getting the newest video game on Christmas morning? Or getting the one toy that you've been wanting all year? These things are great, but there's an even better gift--and it's one that none of us could ever be able to pay for! Do you know what this gift is? I do, and I want to tell you about it.
The Best Gift Ever!
God sent his only Son, Jesus, to earth a long time ago to do something for us that no one else could do. God's book, the Bible, says that "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, [Jesus] died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Why would Jesus do that? Because it was the only way for you to become a member of God's family. All the bad things you have ever done separate you from God. The Bible calls those things sins and says that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23)--that means separation from God forever.
But the Bible also says that "everyone who believes in [Jesus] receives forgiveness of sins" (Acts 10:43) and "whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Since you could never do enough good things to pay the penalty for your sins, Jesus--God's Son who never sinned--came to earth to pay the penalty for you! He was God's perfect substitute who took the punishment of your sins. That way you don't have to be punished for your sins--Jesus has already paid the penalty for you when he died on the cross. Three days later, he rose from the grave. Now he is alive in Heaven with God and you can join him there someday.
The Bible says that salvation--Jesus saving you from the punishment for your sins--is "not your own doing; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). This means that you can't pay for it, and you can't earn it. God is offering it to you as a gift. It's a costly gift, because it cost God his only Son. But God offers it to you and me freely!
Can You Have This Gift?
Sure! If you believe with all your heart (having faith) that Jesus died for you, and if you trust him to take care of your sin payment forever, he will forgive your sins and help you live in a way that pleases God right now. To ask Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your life, you can tell him in words like these (called a prayer):
"Dear God, I am sorry for all of the bad things that I have done. I do believe that Jesus died for me, and I want you to forgive my sins and help me to live the way that you want me to. I want to learn to please you with my life now and live with you in Heaven forever some day."
