You Get What has been Paid For....the Wayfarer 2/19/16

You Get What has been Paid For

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

(Hebrews 9:27 &28)

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

(Matthew 26:28)

There is an old saw, one that continues to thrive in the English language that says that, “You get what you pay for.”

As you may see from the title, I have a small disagreement with the semantics of that particular statement.

Though valid in the context of much of what one purchases in life, through monetary means, it is completely invalid when applied to the purchases made by the soul.

Those “purchases” cannot be “valued” by any monetary means, or by any standard other than the eventual destination that is purchased by the owner of that soul.

Choice must be made whether the trivial things that appear so lucrative and appealing and yet are indeed only transient transcend that which will be eternal.

Each living soul makes those purchases, daily, and continually, with a onetime chance at attaining something that cannot be valued above any other purchase ever to be made.

When considering the most important purchase to be made in life, consideration and intense scrutiny must be given to what is being purchased and the true price that must be paid.

Redemption may only be purchased through repentance, with the full price already having been paid for it by the only Savior that is capable of having paid that price.

Books, movies, college degrees, automobiles, houses, culinary delights, vast holdings of land and businesses that seem to provide security and stability, provide nothing to the soul that must first and foremost make the purchase of eternal life.

The cost of these things is apparent, and decipherable as the path is trodden farther and farther toward what must be an eventual end to the journey begun at birth.

When the focus is so narrowly placed on any or all of these things, the soul is neglected and forgotten.

Wants replace needs.

Ends attempt justification of means.

Intended joy and peace are replaced by fear, conceit, mistrust, dishonesty, and attributes that cannot allow for the existence of the needs of the soul of the man.

“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

(Revelation 3:18)

I close, as always, that same simple sinner saved by grace through faith, having made the required purchase, the same loud and annoying soldier proclaiming the need for others to take a stand and do the same.

The price for my salvation, and the price for my service was paid long ago. I could never earn enough to repay what has been given me by the grace of God alone, by His love and the sacrifice of my Savior, Christ Jesus.

Whatever choices are made by others, I am assured of my own purchase, and would that all would make the same one.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Decision time is now, not when in the grave and the soul is no longer capable of making the choices, having already chosen.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer