Pardon Purchased
What did His death and resurrection accomplish for
me?
His payment paid my debt in full.
During Jesus’ day, when a prisoner paid his debt to society,
the judge would write a word across a piece of paper that listed the
prisoner’s violations. The word was tetelestai, often translated,
“It is finished.” Another translation is, “paid
in full.” It signified the person’s debt to society was
cancelled because his penalty had been paid in full. When Jesus hung
on the cross, the second to last thing He said was, “Tetelestai”–paid
in full. The debt He paid in full was yours and mine.
His resurrection proved His payment was acceptable to God.
At one time, England had debtors’ prisons for those who owed
more than they could pay. If a debt became due and the debtor could
not be found, the third party who guaranteed payment could be imprisoned
for him. The third party could not be released until the debt was
paid in full. If the debtor reappeared and saw the guarantor on the
streets as a free man, he would know his own debt had been retired
because the one imprisoned for his debt was now free.
Jesus is our third party guarantor. He was imprisoned for us. He died
in our place. He was raised from the dead. We are free because He
is free: the One imprisoned for our debt is alive from the grave.
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