Costly choice

I was once offered some free stuff by my neighbor, told him thanks but did not really need. Talked me into it he did. Could make use of it although did not need or have to have. So took the stuff off of his hands and used it. My reason for taking was that it was not costing me anything and could find use for it, what could possibly be wrong with something free and helping neighbor out at same time. Everyone else would have thought the same, what crazy person would turn down something free that they could use even if not needed. Well, I wish that crazy person had been me as the result of taking and using the free stuff it ended up costing me $800+. Not my neighbors fault as he was basically blind to the issue & did not know or think about any possible ramifications for me. I will not make that mistake again or anything close as since that time I check out more then just that an item is free. I look at from as many sides as I can to find any cost or issues that others may have missed and to make sure that I can afford if wrong to pay any possible cost. The good news for me is that in this case the lesson learned was a matter of inconvenience, somewhat expensive and of no lasting harm. I live on with a life lesson learned that all things free are not always without cost. Now you may ask what on earth brought that life lesson to this blog. Think about this how many people live their lives by their own standards. They dismiss as fairy tales anything that indicates that there might be a Creator God who we will have to answer to after our final breath is taken. The problem here is simple, The Bible tells us that God loves us and His son Jesus the Christ died for our sins so we would not have to pay the price. All we have to do is repent and accept the payment for our sin, allowing God to change us from the inside out. Some will say that this is just a fairy tale they can not accept, even if it was not based on Jewish old testament and the new testament that God also used Jews to pen. Anti-Semites do not judge themselves worthy simply because of dislike for Jews and some Jews do not count themselves worthy simply because the price was also paid for Gentiles. (Go figure!)
Now let us consider the matter if the Bible is correct and everyone will have to pay price for their sins for all eternity. The choice becomes to pay the required price personally or to accept the payment that God prepared for those who will repent and humble themselves by acknowledging that they need the Savior. So the question remains what is the cost of being wrong and can you afford it. If the Bible is not the word of God and therefore a fairy tale you will have no problem. However if Bible is in fact the word of God and you choose not to believe then the price will be paid for all eternity with no second chance. My mistake was not to count all possible cost in my decision to take the free stuff and therefore I have no one to blame but me for the price I ended up paying for wrong choice. At least when I made the wrong decision the cost was limited in scope and duration. You can not afford to let others talk you into a choice that is unlimited in cost and duration as eternity is forever. Consider the ultimate cost is your soul and where you will have to spend eternity. You will have no one to blame if you choose wrong just as I could not blame my neighbor for my wrong choice. The ultimate choice was mine to make. You will make the ultimate choice of accepting or rejecting what the Bible tells us is God's requirement to spend eternity in Heaven. Count the total cost and at least you will not be surprised. God has said you are worthy of receiving payment for your sin, are you willing to accept the Truth.