The Certificate of Debt

The Certificate of Debt

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Col. 2:13-14.

When God entered into the covenant with Israel, they committed themselves to keep His commandments, and He committed Himself to bless them. Israel did not keep their commitment, and the law that they were to keep became a certificate of debt to them. The commandments were in opposition to them. They came under the curse of the law instead of its blessing.

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.’” Rev. 12:10.

Satan could accuse Israel before God day and night on the strength of the certificate of debt. God also foresaw that they could not keep the law, which is why He prescribed offerings for them so they could receive forgiveness for their sins. “Without shedding of blood there is no remission.” Heb. 9:22. However, Israel cheated with their offerings by also offering to Baal. As a result, the curse came over them, and God drove them out from before His face.

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’” Gal. 4:4-6.

Jesus had to be born of a woman and partake of the flesh of man which could not be subject to the law of God. Rom. 8:7. Thus He, too, came under the law. But instead of breaking the law by living according to the flesh and thus ending up in death, He brought the flesh into death through the cross in the power of an eternal Spirit (Heb. 9:14), and so He fulfilled the law and the prophets. He was not given a certificate of debt. He did not sin; therefore He did not have to die. Nevertheless, Satan through his servants, killed Jesus, but Jesus gave His life voluntarily. Thus He also gave His life for mankind, redeeming those who were under the law.

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us . . . .” Gal. 3:13. By doing this He paid the certificate of debt that was against us. The one who pays becomes the owner of the debt certificate. Jesus did not keep it, but He took it away by nailing it to the cross. By crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires, He fulfilled the law with His body, presenting it to do God’s will. Satan crucified the body that had not committed sin, but then Jesus also took the certificate of debt with Him onto the cross. When the nails pierced Jesus’ body, they also pierced the certificate of debt. Thus He disarmed principalities and powers and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them on the cross. Col. 2:15.

Satan cheated himself by killing a just person who should not have died, but who thereby died for us who are unjust. Previously he could accuse us on the strength of the certificate of debt; but now it was taken out of the way and thus he was disarmed. Jesus went into the heavens with His blood, and Satan was cast out.

In the new covenant the law has been abolished as a certificate of debt and as a taskmaster, and we have received the Spirit instead. But the law as God’s will has not been abolished. Not at all! The requirement of the law is fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Rom. 8:4. In the new covenant the bride of Christ has to make herself ready. The bride cannot make herself ready with the certificate of debt, guardianship, and the taskmaster in force. Everything has to be voluntary. Only those who voluntarily, in the power of the Spirit, enter into the death of Christ with the will of the flesh and of the mind, only these can be united with Him in a resurrection life.

The accuser was cast out of the heavens through Jesus’ sacrifice, and we have received an intercessor instead who speaks on our behalf. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Rev. 12:11.

Here we can see the power that is in the blood of the Lamb. By it we have been redeemed. 1 Pet. 1:18-19. However, everything is voluntary, which is why we have to testify to it. We must be willing to be redeemed from Satan’s power to God. Jesus has redeemed us if we want to belong to Him. He does not redeem us to do as we want, but to belong to Him. Then we become bond-servants of Christ. And this is why we need to testify voluntarily so that we can be saved.

“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Rom. 10:9.

It must be true that Jesus is my Lord, but then I am also His possession, and I have been freed from the powers of darkness. Col. 1:13-14. A bond-servant is answerable only to his lord. If anyone has any demands on him, he has to go to his lord. We, who voluntarily have given ourselves to Jesus as Lord, so that we do not draw back even if we have to give our life, are totally and completely free from the powers of darkness. We overcome them all by the blood of the Lamb and the words of our testimony.