A Debt You Can’t Pay

Sin is anything that's incompatible with God's holy essence and commands. Sin doesn’t come in to be nice. It is a ruthless taskmaster that separates us from God.

 

Sin hits all of us with a debt we can't pay.

• Having unpaid financial debt ruins your credit.

• Having unpaid sin debt ruins your eternity.

• There's no installment plan for you to pay off your sin debt.

Thinking your effort will get you right with God is exactly what will keep you from being right with Him.

I've heard that Martin Luther said

The deadliest heresy that has ever plagued the mind of man is that he can make himself good enough to deserve to live forever with an all-holy God.

(Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-5)

 

Face it. When it comes to paying sin's debt, you're empty-handed. You bring nothing to the table. Absolutely nothing. Zero, zilch, nada. (Isaiah 64:6)

But God wants us with Him anyway. So, on our behalf and completely without any input from us, Jesus made the payment for sin's awful, overwhelming debt. His payment was for humanity's entire sin debt. There's not even a speck of sin's dust left unpaid.

Here's some scripture that illuminates what I’m saying

 

Luke 18:9-14 NIV:

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and look down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable.

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

 

Romans 10:3  Amplified Bible 

For not knowing about God’s righteousness [which is based on faith], and seeking to establish their own [righteousness based on works], they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

  

 Ephesians 2:8-9 Amplified Bible

For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. 

Talking again about people who try to approach God based on their own good works, Jesus said this about Judgement Day in Matthew 7:22-23 NIV

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

 

Jesus was blunt. He warned people who try to approach God based on their good works. Trying to approach God that way has the opposite effect.

I've said these next three statements elsewhere, but they're definitely worth repeating.

• If you're counting on your goodness to get you over the top, you've already lost.

• If you think you need to add your goodness to what Jesus paid, you're saying He didn't pay enough.

• Every Believer's trust must be in Jesus' payment and nothing else.

(Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 10:43)

The Big Takeaway 

Remember that Jesus already paid your sin debt in full without any help from you. But by itself, Jesus' payment won't get you into Heaven. There is something for you to do that God can't do for you. This step doesn't pay for your sin; it activates Jesus' payment in your life.

Jesus paid your debt. But you must accept that payment for yourself.  

• He opened the door so you could choose to turn your life over to His transformation. 

• Without His payment, that door isn't open. 

• Your part in this is to choose to go through that door. If you don't, His payment doesn't help you. 

 

Here's a quick prayer:

Lord, please forgive me for trying to prove my own righteousness. I confess that my only hope is in the payment Jesus made. Cleanse me from all sin. Whatever else you do, don't leave me the way you find me now. Transform me from the inside out into the person you want me to be. Amen.

 

Note: I cover these truths in greater detail in Collaborate or Die. I've been thinking a lot about what it takes to be saved. Many people misunderstand what Jesus paid on the Cross and what our response, Repentance, really means.