THE UNPAYABLE DEBT

‘’I have a duty to perform and a debt to pay both to Greeks and to barbarians [the cultured and the uncultured], both to the wise and to the foolish’’ Romans 1:14 (AMP)

David Livingstone was a Scottish missionary who spent thirty-three years in Africa. He endured much suffering as he laboured to spread the Gospel and open the continent to missionaries. This missionary once said: “People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. Can that be called a sacrifice which is simply an attempt to pay back a small part of a great debt I owe God, which I can never repay? It is emphatically not sacrifice, rather it is a privilege’’ (The Life and Labours of David Livingstone, J. E. Chambliss)

In Romans 1:14, The Holy Spirit reaffirms David Livingstone’s comments about believers being debtors to God. We are debtors to God because He paid for us a debt we were unable to pay ourselves. God paid the debt for our sins by sacrificing His own Son (Colossians 2:13-14). It is impossible to offset the incredible debt we own, hence we are “duty-bound” to live in a certain way to please God at all times (1 Thessalonians 2:4). One of such ways is to make ourselves available to serve Him by preaching the Gospel (Matthew 28:19). 

"Because we broke God’s laws, we owed a debt—a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross" - Colossians 2:14 (ERV‬‬)

The call to serve God in any capacity should never be seen as a burden but a privilege (Philippians 1:29). Unfortunately, many believers' attitude or disposition toward serving God especially in prayer, evangelism and follow up is quite appalling. They believe that working for God in such capacity is burdensome, hence they refuse to serve or rather render what I call the ‘Service of Convenience’ to God. These people seem not to understand that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him and His reward system cannot be compared with the riches of this world (Hebrews  11:6, 1 Cor 9:16-17, Romans 8:18).

"When I preach the Gospel I cannot boast for I am compelled to preach the Gospel. Woe to me, if I do not preach the Gospel. If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward, if not voluntarily, I'm simply discharging the trust committed to me’’ 1 Corinthians 9:16-17.

Friends, serving God is not a burden but a blessing. It is not an obligation but an opportunity. Please don’t allow the devil trick you to believe that serving God is a burden. No, serving God is indeed a special privilege and it is filled with loads of benefits. Be a steward in God’s kingdom today and enjoy all the benefits of your stewardship. 

This wonderful hymn below re-echoes the scriptures in Romans 1:14: 

I MUST GO, FOR I AM DEBTOR By Margaret Clarkson

I must go, for I am debtor,

     debtor now to all the race,

I must tell the love of Jesus,

     I must share his saving grace.

I must follow where he leads me

     whether near or far abroad:

where he sends me I must serve him,

     debtor there to live for God.

I must go, for I am debtor;

     I have known Christ's healing grace;

I am debtor, then, forever,

     till I stand before his face.

I am debtor to the millions

     who have never heard Christ's name,

debtor, too, to friends around me

     who have never faced his claim.

Savior, speak through me your message

     where you will, and when, and how;

let your Holy Spirit's fulness

     seal me yours for service now.

Let your life suffuse my being

     till I live your saving Word;

let me keep your last commandment

     till at length I see my Lord!

May God revive His Church and create a deep urge in our hearts to obey the Master's call to duty for the end time harvest of souls into His kingdom.

Good day and God bless you.

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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