Debt Free
“For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.” Hebrews 10:14-18
Insight
Imagine a life that is debt free. I know right, a person can dream! Realistically a debt free life is not impossible. It starts with some budgeting and saying “no” to desires. Regardless, the reality of being debt free is because everything has been paid.
Now imagine the same reality in your relationship with Jesus. All of us were born into a world of spiritual debt. We are inclined to racking up a bill for our souls because of sin. The original cost of sin was too great for any person to handle. In fact, two of the most expensive costs of sin are disobedience to God and death (Romans 6:23). Even when we try our best, we contribute more and more to the debt of sin in our lives. Due to the reality of sin, a system was established long ago to give people a chance to equal out their debt. The sacrificial system we read about in the Old Testament was a glimpse of God’s grace but it was a temporary removal of sin. Time and time again, a best offering was needed to be forgiven for sin. I can only imagine how taxing that system was for humanity. It is truly an immeasurable blessing to live in the New Covenant.
The writer of Hebrews explains how Jesus was The Sacrifice that ended all sacrifices. It is an understatement to say that Jesus changed everything with His life, His death, and His resurrection. Jesus took a system that mankind could never satisfy regardless of how many sacrifices, and with His life brought total satisfaction. You and I cannot add nor take away from what Jesus did on the cross.
What should be the most mind-blowing truth behind all of this is: our sacrifices are not needed because there is no debt to pay.
When we sin, we may feel as though we need to have a second quiet time, or donate to a non-profit, but those sacrifices have nothing to cover. You and I live in a permanent state of forgiveness. Period. The world’s system requires a payment for debt, but Jesus removed the debt from us. The enemy tries to convince us that when we mess up we have to try harder, but Jesus says when we mess up we stay forgiven and keep going!
I asked you earlier to imagine a life free from debt. A debt free life financially takes so much effort, work and sacrifice. Yet, a life debt free from our sin requires nothing. That rubs some of us the wrong way because it seems too good to be true, but then again, a lot about who Jesus is tends to be too good to be true. When we grasp being debt free from sin we make our sacrifices a response rather than a necessity. We get to bring our best to Jesus entirely because of desire and gratitude.
Reflection
Have your sacrifices to God arose from gratitude or necessity and obligation?
Prayer
Father, thank you for Your once and for all sacrifice. Mankind could not do enough with infinite sacrifices, and with Your one sacrifice, the entire system was satisfied. Help me shift my sacrifices from necessity to gratitude. I trust in what You have done and live free from the debt of sin. I praise You for your loving kindness, and it is in Your name I pray, Amen.
Port City writer Davy Nance wrote today’s devotional.
