ROMANS 4:20-25: “He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, because he was fully convinced that what God had promised, he was also able to do. Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness. Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” CSB

OBSERVATION: What does faith have to do with credit? In God’s economy, how do we establish a good credit rating? What is the benefit of God’s credit system?

Turn on the television and you will be greeted with the question – “What’s in your wallet?” Every bank claims to have the best credit card with the best benefits. Some will put you on a plane to a tropical island, while others will put money back in your pocket. All you have to do is use the card and these benefits magically appear. The only problem is, you have to pay them back – with interest!

My wife and I were only 20 something, we were just married, and involved in the new adventure of building our lives together. We both worked and set up separate accounts to manage our money. Then my wife asked if she could get a credit card. It sounded like a good idea to me, as we needed to build our credit rating. So the application was in the mail. With anticipation she waited for her new card.

When the card arrived she was excited to put it to use. To be honest, I got one too! There was a sense of freedom to be able to go and buy something with a little piece of plastic. No one objected. They simply swiped your card, you signed a piece of paper, and they put your purchase in a bag. The first month with our new cards was a joyful experience.

Then the first bill came. My wife was paying for her card and I was paying for mine. I received my bill, wrote the check, and put my payment in the mail. My wife came to me and asked what this bill was for. I explained to her how the credit card worked. She was a bit disappointed to have received a bill (as we all are), but set out to make her payment. Both payments were mailed. However, in a couple of weeks my wife’s payment came back, with a late notice, and a late fee!

I asked her what happened. She really didn’t know. She had written the check, put it in the envelope, and mailed the payment. She then noted that it was nice that they had put a check with the bill to make the payment easy. She tried to pay her credit account with credit. In other words, she tried to pay her bill with something she did not earn. When we think about this story we laugh now. But at the time it happened it was no laughing matter.

What economy allows you to pay your credit account with credit? It is only in God’s economy that our debt is paid by something we did not earn. In fact, faith is like the check that my wife used to try and pay her credit card debt. Faith is something we do not earn, it is given to us by God. And when we believe God, responding to His gift of faith, He credits our life with righteousness. Our sins are forgiven, we are fully pardoned, our account is wiped clean by God Himself!

The gift of faith given to Abraham is extended to all through the sacrificial death and victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have a huge bill on our account due to our sin. There is no way we can pay it. We are destined for punishment and eternal separation from God. And when we get the bill – there is a check inside! It is the invitation to believe God, to receive His sacrifice, to trust Him for our forgiveness and salvation. It is God’s credit system!

• “Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.“

I don’t know anyone who would not take advantage of an offer like this if it was made available for our monetary debts. However, there are those who turn away from God’s free gift of salvation. Why? Because they stumble over the simple gift of faith. They either do not want to let go of their sin, or they think it is too simple and cannot envision a transaction that could occur without their own human effort. Yet, that is exactly what salvation is. It is a transaction of faith. A free gift of God’s grace. And, it is available to all who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Lord, may Your Holy Spirit open the eyes of men and women to truly discover and believe…

• “HE WAS DELIVERED UP FOR OUR TRESPASSES AND RAISED FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION!”

In Jesus Name!