John Oliver, the host of HBO’s popular TV show Last Week Tonight, made the news when he forgave fifteen million dollars in debt. He did this to show the unsavory nature of buying debt and collecting on it. He purchased the massive debt at the price of just $.004 for every dollar. Because he owned the debt, Oliver had the legal right to collect it. Instead, he generously abolished it.
Forgiving fifteen million dollars of financial debt is generous, but it pales in comparison to God forgiving the debt of our sin through the death of Jesus. The apostle Paul made this clear in 2 Corinthians 8, which contains a beautiful summary of the gospel in 2 Corinthians 8:9. In an effort to motivate the wealthy Corinthian church to be generous givers (2 Corinthians 8:2,6), Paul used the generosity of Jesus Himself as the ultimate model for believers. Christ “became poor” when He left heaven, came to earth, and sacrificed His life on the cross.
The One who was “rich,” who had everything, made Himself nothing (Philippians 2:7). Though a holy God had every right to collect the debt of sin, He sent His Son to assume humanity’s debt of sin and pay for it with His life (Philippians 2:8). Christ became poor so that those who believe in Him might become spiritually rich—experiencing real life in and through Him.
Jesus forgave our debt by voluntarily surrendering Himself to death on a cross. His generosity should inspire devotion in us. Today, may we honor God with our bodies, give freely to those in need, forgive others as we’ve been forgiven, and be patient with others as Jesus has been patient with us. Let’s lovingly give up our lives for our brothers and sisters as He gave His life for us.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Psalm 1:1-6
More:
Read Romans 5:9 to see another outcome of Jesus taking our place on the cross.
Next:
In what ways has Jesus made you rich? How will you celebrate Him for purchasing your forgiveness with His death on the cross?
Tom Felten on May 12, 2017 at 8:15 am
Marvin, I’m reminded of what Paul wrote in Galatians: “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). May I trust God enough that I generously pour out His love and truth to those I encounter!
godlove on May 12, 2017 at 8:36 am
Amen Tom. And may we readily forgive others as we too have been forgiven by God, and be patient with others as Jesus has been patient with us, even when the said others don’t deserve it (as we didn’t deserve His patience and forgiveness either).
envirotact on May 12, 2017 at 9:30 am
I love the picture accompanying the article today.
hsnpoor on May 12, 2017 at 2:23 pm
You know, I know this in both my head and my heart and I will willingly and earnestly pray for God to help me to forgive and not revisit the scene of the crime and he’s never failed me yet. But, you know where my struggle lies? Knowing all that God has done for us, in the person of Jesus, so many of us (self included) have this horrible tendency to want more. No, that’s not what I mean. We have a tendency to EXPECT more as if we’re entitled to more than what has already been freely given. What comes to mind and has been a serious thorn of contention for me is when Christians cite and claim Isaiah 53:5 for PHYSICAL healing. I have struggled for a long time with how that notion causes my temperature to rise whenever I encounter it. It’s like a hot trigger button for me and I really don’t understand why I get so over-the-top upset. I have taken the matter to the Lord in prayer, but I’m not sure what to make out of what I’m getting back. I’m receiving promptings like there is a difference between earthly (physical) healing and spiritual healing and earthly healing is really no healing at all. True healing can only occur when this earthly life is over and our earthly vessels are glorified. That has lead to ruminations on how hard I/we should fight to hold onto this life when physical illness attacks our bodies and this is territory that I’m not sure I’m equipped to navigate; or even want to enter in. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go that deep in that direction. I think just thinking about all that God has forgiven me makes me very reticent to form my lips to ask for more. The freedom to live a life of plan and purpose in relationship with my Creator, no matter what the actual physical circumstances happen to be in that life, is really and truly an amazing gift that just cannot be topped. To try to do so simply diminishes the gift and the gift-giver.