“I Am Debtor”

Jarrod M. Jacobs

 

When Paul penned his letter to the Romans; he said, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:14-16). What does he mean, “I am debtor?” W.E. Vine says that Paul used this word metaphorically to say he was under an obligation to preach the gospel to the Romans (p. 279). Can we today be under an obligation for spiritual work as Paul was? Let us go to the Bible for the answer.

 

We Are Debtors To Mortify The Deeds Of The Body.

            Romans 8 sheds light on how we are debtors. At the beginning of this chapter, Paul shows the Christians in Rome (and us) the difference between carnal things and spiritual (v. 6-8). As Paul continues, he shows that if we are the people we should be, we will mortify the deeds of the body (v. 13). When this happens, we will live spiritually. Paul’s letter leaves no doubt that if we wish to be joint heirs with Christ (v. 17), we are debtors to mortify the deeds of the body and live for Christ. These commands to the Romans are not unlike the commands Paul gives to the Colossians. Colossians 3:5-9 reads, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry... In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” We are debtors to put off the “old man” if we wish to please God.

  

We Are A Debtor To All Of The Law If We Try To Keep One Part Of It.

            As Paul was fighting the false doctrine of the Judaizers in Galatia, he told those Christians, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:1-4). This is a lesson many of our friends in the denominational world need to learn. As many will try to justify their actions in the Old Testament teachings, they must remember that they are a debtor to all the Law when they try to observe one part. This is also a lesson those of us in the church need to learn. We forget that Paul was writing to brethren in this letter. Paul told them and tells us today, without hesitation, that we can and will fall from grace if we become indebted to the Law of Moses.

 

We Are A Debtor To God Himself.

            I am afraid that we forget this truth. God sent His Son to die for us when we had done nothing to deserve it (Rom. 5:8). We still do not deserve the grace God bestowed on us in sending His Son to die on our behalf. Nevertheless, God did it. Christ came willingly to suffer the shame of the cross (Heb. 12:1-2). We are debtors indeed! We could never repay this great sacrifice, but we can give our lives to God. Paul tells us we are to be a “living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1). Knowing all that God has done for us, let us be faithful in obeying Him. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (I Jn. 5:3).