Let the sofa and the coffee table represent the two sides of an incredibly deep canyon. Say the width is fifty meters.
Now we can imagine all the men, women and children that have never lived, or ever will be born on earth, lined up on one side. They have to get to the other side to save their lives from impending danger. They will be lost if they don’t make it! They have to jump!
The long jump record is about eight meters-How many people from the whole human race can jump the 50 metre wide canyon?
None!
No one would make it , although some would do better than others. All would fall short of the target of the and fall to their deaths.
This may be implied spiritually. There is gap between man and the Kingdom of God. Many try as hard as they can to jump the gap by themselves. They try to keep God’s commandments, to do good works, etc and to “Jump” as far as possible hoping that God will accept those who do their best. But that does not comply with God’s standard: Perfection! (Matthew 5:48)
We are very imperfect. We should know that all deserve condemnation regardless of how “Good we are”. According to God’s holiness and law none is good enough to get across the canyon. Unless God does something for us we are all doomed to the same eternal death. All would go to hell if it depended on our qualities. There must be another way across or there is no way at all.
Jesus clearly said “I am the WAY and the TRUTH and the LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6)