YOU COULD BE DEBT-FREE

Do you ever wish you were debt-free? How and when can that happen? You would need to start by identifying your debtor, figuring out how much you owe, when payment is due, and how to settle that debt. So, who are your debtors? What would you do if you couldn’t afford to pay that debt? You might file for bankruptcy or try to find someone to pay on your behalf.

I’m sure my questions so far make you think of your financial obligations. While they are important, I’m actually talking about your spiritual debt, which you may not even know you have. This is what God says: “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standards” (Romans 3:23). How did we fall short? “When Adam [our ancestor] sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned” (Romans 15:12).

God, being holy and just, has to punish sin, and He declares what the punishment is: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Although He has clearly stated the punishment, He has also shown us how to be debt-free—how to receive debt forgiveness. It isn’t that our sins will be swept under the carpet, but rather, someone else has already taken our punishment on Himself—Jesus Christ, the Son of God. God’s justice is therefore satisfied in Christ.

We each have a role to play. Although Jesus paid our debt, each individual has to personally accept Jesus’ payment as their own, and pray, asking God for forgiveness based on that. Anyone who does not take this step cannot benefit from Jesus’ work, which means that person will have to pay for their own debt through death, also known as eternal separation from God in hell.     

What would you like to do now, or have you settled this issue already? If not, where would you go if you died tonight: heaven or hell? This question is important because “Each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). If you are not sure where you’ll go, I’d like to encourage you to call on Jesus today; tomorrow might be too late. You can repent and ask for forgiveness only while you’re alive.

 If you have prayed and asked God for forgiveness, I’d like to welcome you to the family of God. He has forgiven you and adopted you into His family, and has come to dwell in your heart through His Holy Spirit. Now you are His child—a new person: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

So, as a new person, where do you go from here? The Holy Spirit is going to direct you as you pray and read the Bible: “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). As you obey what you read, your desires and interests will begin to change gradually to line up with the Bible. You should focus on becoming more like Jesus: “You must be holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 116). In addition, seek to join other believers for fellowship, prayer, and studying the Word of God. And don’t forget to share your experience with others who need to do the same thing. Again, welcome to the family of God; rejoice that God has removed your sins as far away as the east is from the west, never to be brought up again. Your debt is fully paid!