Which one went to Heaven?

This past week, I supervised a Vacation Bible School in Climbing Hill, Iowa.  Two teen summer missionaries, Nick and Isaiah, taught this club, and twelve children received Christ as Savior.  I would like to share an object lesson given by Nick, age sixteen.

     There were two men.  The first one was a Christmas almost all his life.  He accepted Christ at a young age, and lived for Christ all his life...but one day, when he was an older man, he decided to steal from the store.  He took something off the shelf and left the store.  He didn't feel any guilt about it, and he didn't confess it to God.  On the way home, he walked into the street and got hit with a truck and killed.

     The second guy did not live a Christian life.  He spent his whole life against God.  He lied, cheated, and doubted the truth of God.  One day, when he was an older man, he stole from the store.  As he was leaving the store with the stolen merchandise, he began to feel bad about it.  He asked God to forgive him, and he also received Christ as his Savior.  On his way back to the store to return the stolen item, he got hit by a car and killed.

     Which of these two men went to Heaven?

     The kids in our club all said that the second one did.

     In reality, they both went to Heaven.  Both of them had put their faith in Christ, and received forgiveness for their sins.  They did it at different points in their lives.  Both were covered by the Blood of Christ!  He is always ready to forgive those who come to Him, and once they are forgiven, they remain so forever, no matter what they do.

     Twelve children prayed to receive Christ that day at the 5-day club.  I was very impressed with this object lesson, and the power of God's forgiveness.