Paying the Price
Scripture Reading — Psalm 49:5-15
The ransom for a life is costly ... But God will redeem my life from the grave. Psalm 49:8,15
When someone gives you a check, the value of the check does not depend on how much money you have. Even if you have nothing, even if you are in debt, the check is still good as long as the person who wrote it can pay the full amount.
Salvation is precious. We can't pay for the right to eternal life. On the contrary, we are in debt and deserve hell. But we don't have to pay. Eternal life is God's gift. The question isn't whether we can pay but whether God can pay.
God has already paid. "You know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19). The debt of hell has been paid, and the riches of heaven have been purchased, because Jesus' blood has infinite value. No promise based on the blood of Jesus will ever fail.
A check begins to benefit you when you take it to the bank and endorse it. You don't have to cover the amount, but you do have to sign your name to it, trusting that the one who wrote it is able to pay the full amount. Have you personally endorsed God's gift for yourself? Can you say with confidence, "God will redeem my life from the grave"?
Thank you, Father, for your infinite riches. Thank you, Jesus, for paying for my salvation with your blood. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for flooding me with your blessings. Amen.
About the author — David Feddes
Dr. David Feddes is pastor of Family of Faith Church and provost of Christian Leaders Institute, which supports mentor-based ministry training through online courses. David is also adjunct missiologist for Crossroad Bible Institute, which provides biblical distance education to more than 40,000 people in prison. Previously he served as broadcast minister for the Back to God radio program, reaching people in more than fifty countries. David earned his Ph.D. in intercultural studies from Trinity International University, Deerfield, IL. He and his wife, Wendy, have nine children (one in heaven).
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