BANKRUPT BY WORK, REDEEMED BY GRACE

Resting in God's Promises for Unshakable Hope

Grace is a gift. It is freely given; we do not earn it, nor can we repay it. Grace flows from the love of the Giver, and our wisdom or ability does not determine whether we receive it. Therefore, there is no room for boasting.

Work operates differently. When we depend upon our work, our wisdom and ability come into play. Work carries requirements, expected results, wages, and accountability. When obligations are not fulfilled, debt begins to accumulate. Debt must eventually be paid. When it remains unpaid, the burden increases until every means of repayment is exhausted and bankruptcy follows.

This illustrates the spiritual danger of depending upon our works before God. If we attempt to satisfy God's righteous requirements through our own ability, what we owe is beyond what we can pay.

David committed adultery with Bathsheba and attempted to conceal his sin by arranging the death of her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 11). When Nathan confronted him, David acknowledged, “I have sinned against the LORD” (2 Samuel 12:13). He humbled himself before God, fasting and praying (2 Samuel 12:16). David could never repay the debt created by his sin. Yet God forgave him, though the consequences of his actions remained (2 Samuel 12:13–14).

Saul presents a contrast. He repeatedly disobeyed God's command and allowed his own reasoning to influence what God had instructed him to do (1 Samuel 13:8–14; 15:1–23). Work can turn our attention toward ourselves and what we have accomplished rather than humbling ourselves before God.

We see another example when a rich young ruler came to Jesus asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. He said that he had kept the commandments from his youth. Jesus told him to sell what he possessed, give to the poor, and follow Him. Hearing this, he went away sorrowful because he had great possessions (Matthew 19:16–22).

He had obeyed much and accumulated much. But when Jesus asked him to give away his possessions and follow Him, he could not let them go. What he possessed had become precious to him. What we acquire through our labor can become difficult to surrender because we see the work, effort, and ability behind what we possess. But Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). A humbled heart learns to receive by grace and extend the same grace to others.

Even the Old Testament Law reveals God's concern for the debtor. A lender was not permitted to enter another man's house forcibly to take a pledge. If a poor man's garment was taken as a pledge, it had to be returned before sunset, and this would be counted as righteousness before the LORD (Deuteronomy 24:10–13).

God's Law also reveals the contrast between judgment and His abundant mercy: He speaks of visiting iniquity to the third and fourth generations while showing mercy to thousands who love Him and keep His commandments (Exodus 20:5–6).

Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). If we reject God's grace and attempt to stand before Him through our abilities and works, our debt is beyond what we could ever pay.

But grace is freely given. Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). What we could never accomplish through our works, Christ accomplished. Therefore, our hope does not rest upon what we can earn, achieve, or repay. We place our faith in Jesus Christ—not boasting in our works, but humbly receiving what God has freely given through grace.

SOW THIS WORD INTO YOUR SOUL

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