A Slight Technicality

We are considering buying a house at the moment, and today the bank told me that they could lend me $50,000 more than we requested. I said "Well, that's lovely, but I can't pay that much back." "A slight technicality", the lady responded.

It was her job to do all she could do (in the interests of 'customer service' of course) to lend me the most amount of money. But I know that I can't pay that much back. If we did borrow all that she suggested, we would end up bankrupt.

Dictionary.com defines bankrupt as "a person unable to satisfy any just claims made upon him or her".

The bank has all the resources and authority and if I don't satisfy their claims, then they have the right to do with me whatever they decide. If I don't adhere 100% to their rules, they have the right to cease the relationship and take my house.

Just like the deed to my future house will be the bank's, my life is God's. He owns everything and created everything. He has all authority and He is Holy. Because He is a holy God, we must be completely Holy in order to have a relationship with Him. That's why the priests of Israel had to go through so much ceremonial cleansing in order to meet with God once a year on behalf of the people. Because if there was any sin 'unpaid' as it were by sacrifices, then God would not accept the offering his people gave to stay in relationship with Him.

But we all have sinned. Isaiah 53:6 says
"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way".
Whenever we choose to go our own way instead of Gods way, that is sin and it cuts us off from God. We are born unable to satisfy the just claim that God has that we be holy.

The enemy whispers to us "Don't worry, its just a slight technicality. Do good works and you'll be right. Try harder. Go to church. Be kind to all men. Follow the golden rule." But God says "BANKRUPT". Totally unable to satisfy any just claims.

Well if sin is going our own way, what about 'sins' - the actions that we do which are contrary to Gods word? Do you ever find yourself thinking "Ahh, its only a half truth" or "It doesn't hurt anyone" or "They deserve everything they get" or "They are a big organisation, they wont miss it". The enemy says "Its just a slight technicality, don't worry about it." God says "BANKRUPT". Even the smallest wrong cuts us off from him, it voids our relationship, and we are unable to make it right. Bankrupt.

But when you submit your life to Jesus and choose to follow him, over the top of the bankrupt stamp is written PAID IN FULL.

Check out the rest of this verse: "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

We are bankrupt. There is no way we can be good enough to enter heaven and be with God. "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." Eph 2:4-5

"God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Rom 5:8

Christ died to pay the price that you and I were unable to pay. When we accept his sacrifice that debt is paid.

What is sin now then, a slight technicality? NO!

Take this story for example... "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" (Luke 7:41-43)

When we truly realise how bankrupt we were without Christ, how totally unable we were to meet Gods requirements, then we respond in love, obedience and worship to Him, and show that by how we love others too.

That's why I speak, and why I live and why I serve. I am totally honoured to be called His daughter and be able to serve him and so I'm going to do all I can in response to His love.

"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another" Romans 13:8.