A pendulum is a metal ball that hangs on the end of a iron rod, like the kind you
see in a Grandfather Clock. If you would hold the metal ball up at a certain point
in the air, and then let it go, it would start to swing. But, no matter how long or
how fast it swings, it would never again reach that certain point in the air, where
you held it before you let it go.
In a way, a pendulum is a picture of humanity. God held the pendulum at that certain
point in the air when Adam and Eve (the first human beings) were in direct communion
with God in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned, God had to drop the pendulum.
Why? Since God is holy and perfect, He requires, and can have nothing less, than holiness
and perfection in return from His creation in order for us to stay in direct communion
with Him. After Adam and Eve sinned, every single human being born into the world
has sinned.
The Bible says in Romans 3:23: "All [that includes you and me] have sinned and
come short of the glory of God."
The pendulum began to swing after God had to drop it. This swinging represents man
trying to get back into direct communion with God, through his own efforts (good works,
etc.); but as man keeps trying (and the pendulum keeps swinging), man continues to
fall short of his goal. (Remember: The pendulum never again reaches that certain point
in the air where it was once held.)
Because God is perfect, and He requires perfection from all humans, the punishment
for sin is death, and, eventually, eternal Hell. "For the wages of sin is death..." (Romans
6:23).
God, Who is loving and merciful, felt compassion for us human beings, and decided
that He would provide a way for us to be saved. To do so, there would have to be a
sacrifice on God's part. However, seeing that God could not give up His perfection,
because then, He would be less than God, He had to give up something perfect!
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
[that includes you] believeth in Him should not perish [in Hell] but have everlasting
life [in Heaven]."
-John 3:16
Finally, the pendulum quit swinging and came to a stop when God sent His only Son,
Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to die on the cross for us. Because of the blood that
He shed, and the death that He died, we can believe in Him, and trust in Him, for
our salvation from Hell. Why can we do this? The reason is simple:
Jesus Christ came to this world as God in the flesh. In other words, He walked the
earth as God among men, perfection among imperfection, holiness among unholiness.
He lived a perfectly sinless life upon planet earth. And because He did so, He conquered
sin. When He rose from the dead on the third day, He conquered death, and in so doing,
He conquered Hell.
You may be saying, "Well, that's fine for Jesus Christ and all, but what about me?
I'm not perfect. How do I get that salvation?"
Well, Jesus Christ didn't do all of this for Himself. Look at it this way: If the
wages of sin is death, and Jesus Christ didn't sin, why did He die? This answer is
simple. He died for you and me. He died for our sins. He took our sins upon Him, died
in our stead, and suffered our hell.
Don't understand it all? You don't have to. All we have to do is believe it to be
saved. Jesus Christ did all that was required on God's part for man's salvation. The
one thing that you have to do is trust in Him. That's right, simply trust in Him.
The Bible says: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved" (Romans 10:9). It also says, "For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
If you believe that because we are sinners, God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus
Christ, to die on the cross for our sins, and that He was buried, and rose from the
dead on the third day, and you are willing to allow Him to come into your heart and
save your soul and change your life, please pray the following prayer:
Dear God, I know that I am a sinner, and that I have broken Your laws. Lord, I don't
want to go to Hell, so thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for my
sins. I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the
dead for my sins. Please come into my heart, save my soul, and change my life. In
the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
I hope that you will make the decision to let Jesus Christ become the Lord of your
life. I guarantee, it will be the best decision you ever made.
Walking in the Light,
Daniel Whyte IV
"While our physical death is inevitable. Our spiritual death is avoidable."
Letters
to Young Boys