Sunday, August 30, 2009

Christ Died for Sins Once For All

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”

1 Peter 3:18 (NIV)

One of the biggest financial “chains” that a person can have on them is a mortgage. Although, for many financial gurus a mortgage falls into the category of “good-debt”, it is something that holds many in bondage. Just think, you have to make a payment to a company every month for at least 15 years and for most 30 years. To top that, many people refinance and or take on second mortgages. For some, the day of sending in the last payment for their mortgage materializes only in a dream.

Imagine this, you wake up tomorrow morning and you get an email, from a very credible source informing you that your entire mortgage has been PAID IN FULL. And not only that, but if you decide that you want to move, every subsequent home that you live in will be mortgage free. Well, beside the hour that you spend ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing), what if you found out that this was a serious email and that your mortgage debts were from this day forth PAID IN FULL. What would you do?

What would you think of a person who after finding this out, month after month still sent in a payment towards their mortgage? They have the deed in hand, but regardless they still send in the payment. Sound crazy? Why would someone do this?

There are several reasons; Fear-they may be thinking, “I can’t believe this. This is just too big. What if someone is just really messing around with me and I get caught down the road in the biggest scheme of all history?” Maybe it’s Doubt. They might be thinking, “Did this benefactor’s check really clear? What if they changed their mind? Did they really mean the whole mortgage?” For some it might be Guilt. They may be burdened with the thoughts that there is no way that they could ever deserve this kind of blessing, they’ve been late and or missed too many payments. And yet for some, it could be Ignorance, because they never check their email and for years, they’ve missed the message that their debt has been PAID IN FULL.

Sound like a wild story? It’s not really. Jesus Christ has paid an even bigger debt for you and for me. He wrote it in a book filled with many letters describing in many different ways that your sin debt is PAID IN FULL. But for many, fear caused by disbelief, doubt wondering how could this be, guilt weighed down by the past and or ignorance due to just not listening have caused them to continue to work for their “Salvation”.

As you worship today, be thankful that “He paid a debt He did not owe for a debt that you and I could never pay.” It is PAID IN FULL! Live and worship Him in the reality of that today!

Pastor MJ

No comments: