When You Cannot Pay What You Owe

Five-Minute Friday I owed a debut I could not pay

When you owe more than you can pay, one option is to declare bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is a way to get a second chance to make better financial decisions. It solves one family’s problem, but only temporarily. If behaviors don’t change, the problem is not really solved. Furthermore, bankruptcy is a way that you can legally break your promise. So while bankruptcy “resolves” one person’s problem, it leaves others with problems as a result. While that is hurtful, it doesn’t deal with all types of bankruptcy.

There is a spiritual element to this issue of unpayable debt. Everyone is bankrupt.

God’s Requirement

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

If we are honest, none of us is always completely just. Furthermore, we aren’t very good at loving others with the right motives. If we think we have done the previous two well, then we are all caught short when it comes to walking humbly with God. We prefer to be self-righteous and think we don’t need God or God’s help. We rather dislike giving him the glory when we think we should be the recipients of honor.

Thankfully, God, the Just Judge does not require or allow a spiritual bankruptcy proceeding. In fact, he justly demands payment in full. Nothing less than complete payment of the debt is acceptable. However, if someone else pays our debt for us, then God will cancel it. We stand justified and we are forgiven if we accept the payment.

What God Did

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Colossians 2:13-15

How to Identify a Follower of Jesus

Life changes dramatically when debt is forgiven. Well, at least it should. It results in overflowing thankfulness to God and overflowing forgiveness for others. “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

An example of forgiveness is seen in the parable Jesus taught in Matthew 18:21-35. God’s viewpoint is expressed in verse 33: “And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” Someone may owe you a great deal, but it is far less than the debt that leads to death.

Five Minute Friday

This post is part of the weekly Five-Minute Friday link-up.

All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.