One day, I parked my car and when I came back from my errand I noticed a parking ticket on the windshield. Darn those Madison parking police! And can you believe, the ticket was for $828 BILLION DOLLARS. Outrageous. Unfair. I mean, I really shouldn't even have gotten a ticket, I only parked there for a few minutes and it really wan't like I maliciously parked illegally, and maybe the parking dude just messed up and put it on the wrong car or was checking the wrong side of street or something.
I do not want to accept that I did something wrong.
Ok, well, so I called down to the parking enforcement office and they explained about the ticket, and I guess they are right. It was trash removal day or something like that and so I really shouldn't have been parked in that spot between 7am and 8am. It's so frustrating. Oh well. I guess I do need to really admit that I messed up this time and get on to dealing with the ticket. It was odd, though, when I was on the phone with the parking office and they finally convinced me that I had parked illegally and I admitted it, they suddenly mentioned that Jesus had already paid off my $828 billion dollar ticket for me.
I'm not really comfortable with that, though. I mean, I totally realize now that I messed up, and really, I have a job and if Mike and I both work really hard (and are very, very careful about where we park for the rest of our lives)... we'll save up our pennies and... Hm. No, I guess even then I probably still wouldn't be able to pay off the whole thing... Sure, I've heard this Jesus is a great guy and probably has enough money to cover this ticket, but I really think I should pay for it myself.
I do not want to accept that someone else paid the consequence for something I did wrong.
(I feel like I should still be paying for it.)
(I feel like I should still be paying for it.)
But that's ridiculous. The ticket IS ALREADY PAID FOR. And, even if I wanted to repay it myself, I'd never, ever be able to.
That is grace.
That is what Jesus did for us.
That is what Jesus wants us to realize and accept.
That is how much God loves us.
That is freedom in Christ.
Christ paid it all. For every last sin. It's already paid for. He doesn't want you to be burdened by the debt anymore. Admit that you have sinned. Accept what Jesus did for you. Be free!
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
- Galatians 5:1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
- Romans 8:1-2
- Romans 8:1-2
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
- Romans 3:22
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.
- Romans 5:1-2
Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.
- Galatians 3:23-25
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