Dead people can't pay their bills. This point was illustrated to me not too long ago when I saw an invoice for work worth over $10k owed to my grandfather by a dead man. I'd say there's about a 100% chance my grandpa's not going to get that money.

Spiritually speaking, that is our condition before we meet Jesus. There is a debt to be paid but we can't pay it because we are dead; spiritual life comes only through Christ. Even if we had something of worth to give, which we don't, it wouldn't matter because dead people can't pay their bills. In order to have something of value to pay off our debt, we'd have to work for it. That's a problem because dead people can't work either. Even if dead people could work, what we'd earn wouldn't be sufficient for the debt we owe. So, we're in pretty bad shape. I guess you could say that our biggest problem is that we're dead.

Ephesians 2:4–5 says, “But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.” Because of God's love our debt is paid in full through Jesus! We have been made alive. The work has been finished and the faith to believe has been freely given.

I'm so glad that I didn't have to make payments for my salvation. We can now work, serve, and give, not because we are trying to be made right with God, but because we get to fulfill God's purpose for our lives. We don't work, serve, or give out of obligation but out of gratitude and worship. What an incredible life!