Why Jesus did NOT pay our sin debt rather our ransom

Jesus “gave himself for us” on the cross but for what purpose? Was is to pay our debt or our ransom and why does that matter? These are the question I want to answer today.

Titus 2:14

Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.

Redeem means liberation procured by the payment of a ransom

There is no mention in the bible of Jesus paying our debt but there are several verses suggesting he paid our ransom.

Let me prove that to you.

Here are all the verses in the NT that include the word “debt”.

Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Matthew 18:27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 

30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 

32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

Romans 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

You’ll notice that none of them say Jesus paid our debt. In fact the parable of the unmerciful servant teaches directly against that notion. 

In this parable the servant owed a huge debt to the king but did anyone pay it? Did the king beat up his son to balance the books? No.

The servant showed such remorse that the king was moved with compassion and simply forgave the debt. Mind you he reinstated it later when the servant failed to forgive his own servant.

Similarly, God freely forgives us our sin on the condition that we “go and sin no more”, not because anyone paid our debt.

Here are the verses in the NT that include the word ransom. 

Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

1 Timothy 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Also verses that include the words redeem or redemption (payment of a ransom):

Luke 1:68 Galatians 3:13 Titus 2:14 1 Peter 1:18 Revelation 5:9 14:3&4 

Romans 3:24 Ephesians 1:7 Colossians 1:14 Hebrews 9:12&15

You may think “isn’t a ransom and a debt the same thing?” NO, they are not.

The notion that Jesus was punished in our place to pay our debt thus fulfil God’s wrath or satisfy his need for justice, came from the teachings of Anselem and John Calvin.

Over hundreds of years their teachings have been mixed with the teachings of the bible, causing much confusion.

Having one’s ransom paid implies that one has been released from slavery, the result of which is a transformed life.

Having one’d debt paid has nothing to do with release from slavery, it’s a legal adjustment by which God’s wrath is appeased or his honour upheld.

Acts 20:28

…the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood.

In paying our ransom Christ “purchased” us from slavery but what were we slaves to? 

Romans 6:16&22

Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; wether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.

But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life.

Sinners are servants of sin but when purchased by Christ’s blood they are not only freed from sin but they become servants to God.

Since we’re in Romans lets continue to 7:2&4

For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Wherefore my brethren ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him that is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Redemption takes effect when we follow Christ’s example and die to ourselves through repentance.

Romans 6:7

For he that is dead is freed from sin

In repentance we are “loosed” from sin and thereby free to marry Christ through the Spirit. As a result of this marriage we bring forth “fruit” unto holiness.

It’s all about love

Rom. 5:8

But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

God commends or offers his love to sinners through Christ’s death, hence his death is a wedding invitation. 

It invites sinners to enter a love relationship with him, which they can only enter by sacrificing themselves, that is forsaking all known sin.

In “laying down his life” and “pouring out his soul unto death” Christ showed sinners “the way” to be free from sin. Freedom is found in denying oneself.

While Jesus had to die physically to release the Spirit, we have to die to our “flesh” to receive the Spirit and is through the Spirit that we are joined to Christ.

1 Cor. 6:16,17,19&20

What? Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? For two saith he shall be one flesh. 

But he that is joined unto the Lord is ONE SPIRIT.

What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God and ye are not your own?

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your Spirit which are God’s.

Jesus indeed paid a heavy price in order to be joined to the church but he didn’t “do it all” for us.

A successful marriage is never one-sided, rather reciprocal. 

A covenant is an agreement between two parties.

The popular teaching that Jesus paid, not only for our past but present and future sins, is like saying we can be ONE with Christ while committing spiritual adultery.

Just as adultery nullifies a physical marriage we cannot be ONE with Christ while committing wilful sin hence salvation requires ongoing faithfulness and fidelity towards God.

Let us each work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, God bless.

Why we have NOT inherited a sin nature from Adam

In this short article I use the scriptures to challenge Augustine of Hippos's doctrine of Original Sin or the notion that we are born with a "sinful nature" inherited from Adam, as commonly taught in the church world today.

1 John 3:4

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: For sin is the transgression of the law

We can see in this verse is that sin is a moral choice, it’s a choice to transgress or break God’s law, not a physical substance that can be passed from one person to another.

In order to “inherit” a sin nature from Adam it would have to be passed on through DNA.

Sin does not dwell in our DNA, it does not abide in our flesh or blood because it is a moral choice.

When we look at the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis we find that they started out innocent. Then the commandment came, “don’t eat of the tree in the midst of the garden”. 

When Adam and Eve knowingly transgressed that law, they committed sin and were cast out of the garden, representing spiritual death.

We see this same pattern described in Romans 7:7-13 particularly verse 9 where Paul said

For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came sin revived and I died

Just as Adam and Eve were born spiritually “alive” then “died” as a result of wilful sin, Paul said I was “alive once” but when the law came I “died”.

I think Paul is talking about being innocent as a child, then reaching the age of understanding at which point the “law” revealed sin to be “exceeding sinful” (vs 13)

To “knowingly” transgress God’s law, results in spiritual death.

Let’s go to Romans 5:12

Wherefore by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for all have sinned

Notice here that sin did not enter into mankind, rather into the world meaning Adam and Eve were the first people in the world to commit sin.

Also, why did death pass upon all men? Because all have sinned.

Remember spiritual death is the result of wilful sin.

Rom. 5:3

For until the law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no law

“Sin is the transgression of the law” which means technically a child can transgress God’s law, for example lie, but until they reach the age of understanding, they are not held accountable for their sin. 

The law opens our eyes so we begin to feel morally accountable for our behaviours. This is when transgressing God’s law becomes wilful.  

Back to Romans 5:18&19

By the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation

By the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners 

So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous  

The “free gift” came upon all men in the sense that it’s offered to all men (Titus 2:11)

but are all men made righteous by Christ’s obedience? No, because not all receive the gift.

Rom. 5:19 many be made righteous… MANY but not ALL are made righteous.

Similarly, because of Adam’s disobedience were all men made sinners?

Rom. 5:19 …many were made sinners…MANY but not ALL were made sinners

Therefore we did not all inherit a sinful nature from Adam.

What we do have are natural appetites and instincts that are not sinful in themselves but can lead to sin.

I think this is what Paul is describing in Romans 7:22-24

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. o wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

The answer to his question is explained in the following chapter. 

Romans 8:13

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

When we mortify or “put to death” the appetites and instincts of our flesh, the Holy Spirit strengthens our inner man to rule over them.

Ephesians 3:16

That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

God bless