Who Will Pay the Price?

Scripture:
Psalm 96
James 4:4-8

No one wants to be falsely accused of a crime.  Even the guilty do not want to pay the wages of the crimes they commit.  Everyone wants off, a clean slate.  I remember a several years ago in a Sunday School class the question was asked ‘why are you a Christian?’  After thinking about my answer I replied ‘because I do not want to go to hell.’  Another person did believe me or want to accept my answer.  I explained that deep down inside I didn’t want to go to hell and the only alternative is heaven.  The only way into heaven is through Christ.

The truth of the matter is that every single person that ever lived and that will live has sin in their lives.  Well every single person except for one.  Jesus is the only one who can stand before God the judge and plead not guilty.  He is the only one who doesn’t have to pay the wages of sin.  Yet He willingly died upon the cross in order to pay our debts.  Have no doubt about it in the end each one of us will stand before God the judge.  Each of us will have to plead guilty and await judgment, Romans 14:10-11:

You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.  It is written: 

   “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
   every tongue will acknowledge God.’”

What makes the difference between a believer and a nonbeliever?  The difference is who pays the price.  I once heard someone use auto insurance as an example.  They drove too fast most of the time and would get several speeding tickets.  The example they used was an auto policy renewal.  He stated that if his insurance company said he was too high risk and his policy was going up and would be over a million dollars a year.  He had no way to pay it.  He would have to do without insurance.  However, the president of the company calls him up and says I know you cannot pay your policy so I will cover it.  Consider it paid in full.  So I ask who will pay the price of your sin.  Will you pay it and live for eternity separated from God in Hell?  Everyone will stand before the judge and be found guilty.  The wages of sin is death.  Who pays the price?  If you are a Christian and accepted Christ as your savior Jesus will stand up tall and in a loud clear voice proclaim “I have already paid the price.”