I mentioned a while ago that I have had puppies to sell. This has been the fifth litter we've sold. Along with a small minority of honest, happy customers, I've experienced many, uh...shall we say, disappointments. Dozens of times, people have called and lied to me: "I'll call you right back to let you know if we'll come," or, "I'll be there in twenty minutes," and they're gone. Even more brazenly, folks have looked me in the eye and lied many times. For example, a few days ago a couple of women asked me where the nearest ATM was (it's less than a mile from my house). They said that they would go get the cash and come right back for the puppy. I never saw or heard from them again. These are all nice-sounding, and when I see them, nice-looking people. Just like you and me. And that's the saddest point.
We are not as good as we think we are. We compare ourselves with others around us, and we can always find people who act worse than us (as I did in the first paragraph). But the Bible says, "All men are liars" ("men" refers to humanity--don't quote that to your husbands, ladies), and, "All have sinned, and all fall short of the glory of God." It also says, "The wages of sin is death," and, "It is appointed for everyone to die, and after this, the judgment."
Now that you've read the bad news, here's the good: Jesus lived the sinless life that each one of us should have lived. Then he suffered the penalty of death that we all deserve. Now he offers forgiveness for our sins when we live by our faith in him.
I don't know if All Dogs Go To Heaven, but I know that I will, by the grace of God.
