Salvation: Coin Story

In the darkness of my mother's flesh, an angel whispered into my ear that I was to recieve the gift of life. I was overjoyed, and looked forward to being freed from this cocoon of flesh and bone to see the world God had created for me.

The angel turned to me before leaving and reached into his garment. He drew forth a coin and put it into my open hands and spoke to me.

"Here is your life. Its value is limited, and is required for your admittance to Heaven. It is a gift entrusted to you. At the end of your life, I wil return to see you and take you from this world. If you carry a burden on your back, I will know that sin has entered your life. If that is the case, the price of this coin must be paid, but you will not enter Heaven. Even if you have one feather of burden, you must pay the coin. You must return this coin to Heaven for you to enter. If not, you will die with your burden on your back and will be separate from God for all eternity."

I told him that I would do all necessary to keep it clean and pure. I told him that I understood that God would not allow burdens into Heaven, but only my soul.

Sure enough, within years of leaving my mother's womb, I had a burden on my back. By then, however, I had forgotten the angel's words. As far as I was concerned, it was my coin in the first place. I didn't even remember getting it, or how excited I was when I recieved it.

As I grew, my burden grew. Soon, it was too much for me to carry. I found no way to shed myself of it. I tried everything, but nothing could free me of my burden.

One night, an angel whispered my future into my ear.

"If tonight I were to come to claim your soul, would you have the coin to return to Heaven, to the God who sent it to you? Or do you have a burden that will claim your coin?"

The next morning, I awoke, and realized that my burden was great, and I would have no coin to return to Heaven.

I sought out God, to ask him where I could get more coins to pay for my burden and then to return to him. He said I could make no coins myself, but if I gave him mine, he would pay for my burden until my death.

I asked him where I would get the coin to pay death for my sins?

I have sent my son to die for you, and through his sinless existence never had to pay for his own soul. Through his death, Death was paid ten-fold for the deaths of the Bride. When you give me your coin, it is a contract. I will then release payment to death for any sin you have or may yet acquire in your life. Give me your coin, and I will preserve your life.

I gave him my coin, and he lifted the burden from my back. I again gained burdens afterward, and once I told him about it, he came and lifted the burden from my hands. I had given him my price, and he continually freed me of my burden.

One night, when I was very old, the angel who brought me the coin came into my room and woke me.

"It is time to leave this world. I see that you have a burden upon your back. Where is your coin?"

I looked him in the eye and told him boldly that God had already claimed his coin from me and had paid for the wages of my sin.

The angel brought forth a scroll and looked through it. When he saw my name upon the list, he nodded, took the burden from my back and left it behind as he carried me to Heaven.

Before entering, the angel stopped me.

"Human, your coin is a sign of ownership. By giving your coin to God, you have given him your life. He owns your coin and your life. He used the value of his own beloved son, whose blood is worth countless coins, to pay for you. You have done well. Seek him, for he has paid a heavy price for you."

I nodded, thanked him, and turned to enter Gates, knowing God was waiting with my coin. I had someone to thank, the priceless one, for paying my life-debt. I didn't not earn my way into Heaven, Jesus did.