Suppose I owed Mr. Wanamaker a thousand pounds, and I became a
bankrupt; I would have nothing to pay, so he might send me to prison.
But suppose Mr. Stone heard of it, and says, "I don't want to see
Moody taken to prison." So he pays the debt for me, and gets the
receipt. When I see the receipt, I know that I am free. But Mr.
Wanamaker finds out that I didn't pay it, and gets me hauled off to
court. He says he must have me pay it myself, or I must go to prison.
I show the receipt. "Why," says the judge, "the debt is paid."
Mr. Wanamaker says, "Moody didn't pay it." Would any judge in the land
support him? No; it is paid, and cannot be demanded again. Well, if
man do not ask payment twice, will God? No, certainly not! The case is
this: the debt has been paid, our sins have been atoned for. Christ
Himself has redeemed us, not with corruptible things, such as silver
and gold, but with His precious blood; therefore we are free.
But remember, although salvation is so free for us, it cost God a
great deal to redeem us. He had an only Son, and He gave Him up freely
for us. What a wonderful gift! If you make light of so great a
salvation, how can you escape the damnation of hell?