The certificate of debt is a concept that lies behind Paul's comments about the certificate of debt in Colossians 2:13-14:
And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
In Roman times, this certificate was a list of crimes committed against the state that required "payment," much like an indictment in our legal system today. The Romans gave Jesus a certificate of debt when He was sentenced to die; it was nailed to the cross: "Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews" (John 19:19). When the crimes were paid for, the certificate was canceled and was stamped with the word tetelestai, meaning "paid in full."
Paul says that Jesus "canceled out" (paid) our certificate of debt (v14).
Jesus' last words, His victory cry on the cross was, "It is finished!", literally in Greek was "tetelestai!" "He said, 'It is finished!' And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." (John 19:30). "Paid in full." What was finished? His work of redemption paying for our certificates of debt against God.
John 12:31,32 also show importance of the cross in the defeat of Satan and the deliverance of people from his domination. These words of Jesus came during the week immediately preceding His crucifixion. He said "Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." The next verse tells us explicitly that Jesus was speaking of His death on the cross. The casting out of Satan, and the drawing of men (previously "bound" by the Evil One) to Christ is accomplished through the cross! This confirms our interpretation of Matthew 12:28,29.
The deliverences recorded in the Gospels were demonstrations of the power of the kingdom of God and the Messianic mission of Christ. The liberated people were freed from certain temporal bondage. Yet, clearly more was necessary. John 7:39 says, "But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." The reception of the Holy Spirit is the end of spiritual death, which was the universal human bondage. Thus the cross (through which Christ was "glorified") is the key to the "spoiling" of Satan's power and kingdom. The Devil has no power to hold in his house anyone who believes the gospel, because any legal authority to do so is removed.
Notice that the previously quoted Colossians 2 passage speaks of nailing the "certificate of debt" to the cross (verse 14). Satan's ability to keep humans in bondage was not based on his great spiritual power, but on the legal debt we had before God. God cannot lie, and God said that the penalty of sin is death. The "decrees against us" of Colossians 2:14 are the things contained in the Law. The Law of God dictated that we are cursed (Galatians 3:10) and must die. We were spiritually dead (lacking the Holy Spirit) for this very reason. By canceling the certificate of debt through the cross, Christ delivered us from the power of Satan. God is proved true, and Satan a liar. The soul that sins must die; but Christ died for us, that we might be liberated. This was how Christ "bound" the strong man and plundered his house.
But
Why punish the innocent One? Nailed to the top of the cross was an official notice, a certificate of debt to Caesar, a public display of Jesus' crime: “The King of the Jews.” The certificate of debt was a list of crimes committed against the state that required payment. When punishment was complete, Caesar's court would cancel the debt with a single Greek word stamped upon the parchment's face: “tetelestai.”
Being
king of the Jews was not the crime Jesus paid for, however. Hidden to
all but the Father was another certificate nailed to that cross. In the
darkness that shrouded
At the last, it was not the cross that took Jesus' life. He did not die of exposure, or loss of blood, or asphyxiation. When the full debt for our sin was paid, and the justice of God was fully satisfied, Jesus simply gave up His spirit with a single Greek word that fell from His lips: “Tetelestai.” “It is finished.” The divine transaction is complete. The debt was cancelled. (Colossians 2:13-14)
One of the great deceptions of this world is that when we
get impacted by the fact that we have reached the limit of sin in our
lives, the world just extends us more credit. Or it simply sends us a
new card. Then we feel somewhat rewarded if we make a payment by doing
something religious to soothe our guilty conscience. All the while we
are building up a debt to the Lord we cannot pay until one day it
becomes so deep it becomes a sea we are drowning in.
There are still a number of people who truly believe that if they are
just good enough or go to church enough that they can actually pay on
the sin-debt they owe to the Lord. That deception doesn’t even cover the
interest charges. For a brief moment it may make us feel better because
we actually did something because we noticed the debt. But the debt
still remains at a level beyond our capability to pay.
Then we hear the words of our Father, “Here, let me take care of that
for you.” And the cash He laid on the table to pay our debt was the life
of His Son. Our debt paid in full not to live as we want to but rather
to experience life as He intended—full and abundant with His loving
presence now within the lives of those who will personally accept His
generous offer. You see, God doesn’t use credit—He paid our account with
the most valuable thing He could offer. Take time to really read these
verses.
When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your
flesh He made you alive together with Him having forgiven us all our
transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting
of the decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it
out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Life on credit brings embarrassment, fear, and increasing debt. Life in
Christ is life paid in full. It enables us to live in an intimate
relationship with the One who loves us so much that He took our debt
upon Himself and canceled it out. Know freedom from true debt—know the
Lord in your life.
"A very present help."—Psalm 46:1
Covenant blessings are not meant to be viewed only, but to be appropriated and put to use. Even our Lord Jesus is given to us for our present use. Believer, you don't make use of Christ as you should. When you are in trouble, why do you not tell Him all of your grief? Doesn't He have a sympathizing heart, and can't He comfort and relieve you?
No, you are going about to all of your friends, except your best Friend, and telling your trouble everywhere except into the bosom of your Lord. Are you burdened with this day's sins? Here is a fountain filled with blood: use it, saint, use it. Has a sense of guilt returned upon you? The pardoning grace of Jesus may be proved again and again. Come to Him at once for cleansing.
Do you deplore your weakness? He is your strength: why not lean upon Him? Do you feel naked? Come here, soul; put on the robe of Jesus' righteousness. Stand not looking at it, but wear it. Strip off your own righteousness, and your own fears too: put on the fair white linen, for it was meant to wear.
Do you feel thyself sick? Pull the night-bell of prayer, and call up the Beloved Physician! He will give the cordial that will revive you.
You are poor, but then you have "a kinsman, a mighty man of wealth." What! you will not go to Him, and ask Him to give you of His abundance, when He has given you this promise, that you shall be joint heir with Him, and He is over all that was made and all that He has made is to be yours too?
There is nothing Christ dislikes
more than for His people to make a show-thing of Him, and not to use
Him. He loves to be employed by us. The more burdens we put on His
shoulders, the more precious will He be to us.
