Jesus frequently used money as a metaphor—in 13 out of 39 parables according to one source. Among its uses, decisions concerning money represent resentment toward God, forgiveness from moral debt, and divine generosity.
The Money Metaphor Once More
Assume you can have only one account at the bank. You can have it in your name or in the name of Jesus, as a co-signer.
The account in your name would go something like this: sometimes you’d have a positive balance of moral assets, sometimes negative. When positive, you’d feel pretty good about yourself. You might even look down on others who were in the negative. You would undergo stress at times, considerably so if you began to lose your ground. If you lost too much ground, you’d suffer insufferable guilt—and that’s too much guilt to be sure.
The account in Jesus’ name would go something like this: everything you need would have been paid for (note the past tense). His account offers no pride for being righteous, nor guilt for past sins. It is his account, not ours. We are purely beneficiaries, and that is a humbling thing, but also a peaceful, joyful loving thing.
Need forgiveness? Done, first from before time in the heart of God and in history made unforgettable while he was on the cross. Need redemption? Already done. Need better behavior, also called sanctification? It’s yours by faith, which is the only thing you are asked to contribute, the rest being a gift.
One can piece all these things together easily by reading the letters of Paul and others in the New Testament. But one statement from Paul says it all: “But it is due to God that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption” (I Corinthians 30). In Jesus’ account there can never be a negative balance. It’s all too good to be true in this world, but is standard fare for the kingdom of God.
What, then, is the downside of signing on to the account of Jesus? First, it’s invisible. It takes faith, and one will never have faith without listening to the revealed words of God and allowing the Spirit of God to reveal their meaning. This happens to me over time, not over night. Second, there’s no boasting, no pride. Any sense of one’s importance must be replaced by one’s sense of being loved. No more judging others, no more taking credit for one’s successes—everything shifts to a sense of Jesus’ accomplishment.
The upside of the second downside is that guilt and fear also disappear. One is defined no longer by one’s track record but by the success Jesus possesses as a redeemer.
Which will it be, this day and every day? Are we so significant that we somehow are too bad or too weak for Jesus to save? Must we force open an independent account just in case he fails or in case he needs assistance?
God forbid.
God bids us to be redeemed not redeemers. Let’s trade in our worry and anxiety for gratitude and thanksgiving. Close that independent account, you, the beneficiary of the life of Jesus!
– Louis Burkhardt
Original Blog: https://mygod.myplaza.xyz/2023/an-account-in-the-name-of-yourself-or-of-jesus/
Evangelical “Grace” and “Truth”
Certain evangelicals contrast grace and truth because they think grace is only mercy and truth is an updated version of the law. (link to read more: https://mygod.myplaza.xyz/rebuttal/)
Thankyou for this James. So many I talk to can’t get beyond the idea that in some way shape of form, they still need to bring whatever they can to add to their account instead of seeing that you never need to give another payment,ever because it is already stamped PAID IN FULL.
Dave, thanks for your comment. James generously allowed me to re-post my article on this site (thus this reply). Even when I’ve written an article such as this, my flesh is crying out for the opportunity to contribute some righteousness (which of course is truly unrighteous). May we all have our minds fixed on the sufficiency of Christ, no and’s, but’s, or nor’s!