"God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit
for this." Ephesians 2:8 NLT
Just because I have it doesn't mean I should use it. Credit. The amount of money
a particular lending institution is willing to loan me because they believe I'll
pay it back. Perhaps I've borrowed from them before or they have checked my
borrowing record. Credit cards have a credit limit. If my charges exceed that,
they may honor my purchase, but I will pay a penalty. And everyone has a credit
rating. A number that is calculated based on their borrowing and repaying
history. A low rating means I won't be able to borrow money, or if I can I'll
pay an exorbitant interest rate. Credit is something I build based on past
borrowing behavior.
If I'm timely with repaying my loans, my credit line increases and my
credibility with lenders rises. Not so with God. He issues no credit limit based
on my current or past behavior. My sinful nature kills my credit line, and there
are not enough good works to resurrect it. I can't pay my sin debt, and because
of that my credit rating is the pits. I may be able to repair and rebuild my
credit rating so lenders will risk lending me money again, but I can't restore
my credit with God.
Fortunately, the credit picture with God isn't all bad. What I can't do for
myself, God decided to do for me. He won't issue me credit personally, but he
will take another's credit and give me something based on his rating.
Jesus Christ, God's Son, has a wonderful credit rating. Perfect. Sinless. Pure.
Righteous. Spotless. Completely obedient to his Father's plan and will. When I
ask, God will credit his Son's righteousness to my account. This makes it
possible for him to forgive my sins, see me not with my sin but with the
righteousness of his Son, involve himself in my life, and grant me an eternity
with him.
Are you trying to get credit from God through means other than his Son? God has
only one way of approving our credit: our connection with Jesus.
Prayer: Father, thank You for Your wonderful grace that allows us to be forgiven
and cleansed.
Martin Wiles Hodges, South Carolina, USA
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