Someone already paid the fine

4 min read

Have you ever broken the law?

Maybe not the kind where you drive through a red light. But what about God's law? Have you ever lied? Have you ever looked at what someone else has and wished it was yours?

When we do those things, we're breaking God's law. We're sinning.

Now, when we break the law in everyday life, there are consequences. We pay a fine. We might get arrested. But when we break God's laws — like coveting what someone else has — nobody shows up to charge us. No one arrests us. So does that mean nothing happens?

Not exactly. When we sin, it puts distance between us and God. God is perfect, and sin can't exist in his presence. That's the real consequence.

We needed serious help

Here's the thing: God knew that no matter how hard we tried, we wouldn't be able to keep all his laws. He knew we needed serious help to be close to him.

So he sent someone to pay all the fines, serve all the jail time — for all of us, forever. That person was Jesus. His death on the cross was the payment.

There's a verse that puts it plainly. Colossians 1:14 says, "God's Son paid the price to free us, which means our sins are forgiven."

That's it. The debt is settled. The fine is paid.

But it's not a free pass

Now, just because Jesus paid the price for our sin doesn't mean we have a free pass to do whatever we like. We still do our best to follow God's laws — because those laws are there to keep us safe and to help us. That's what God wants for us, all the time.

The jacket and the rope

Let me show you what I mean with a little demonstration. I've got a jacket and some rope.

I put the jacket on. The jacket is like our sin — it covers us. And now I'm going to be arrested for my sins. Someone ties my hands with the rope.

Now, if I try to get away from my sin — my jacket — I can't. I'm stuck. Because we aren't Jesus. We aren't God. We can't free ourselves from our sin on our own.

Okay, so now let's take the rope off my hands. Because we know Jesus paid the fine for our sins. But here's the catch — what if I forget he's done that? What if I keep my hands together as if they're still tied up?

Not much changes. I'm still stuck. I'm too focused on "Oh no, I broke the law" instead of realising I'm free.

So this time, let's be the person who knows they're free. The person who thanks God and Jesus for paying the fine.

Thank you, God. And — ta-da — I can walk away from the sins I did in the past and leave them there.

Isn't that great? I feel so much better.

Walking away free

That's the difference. It's not just that Jesus paid the price. It's that we have to actually believe it. Accept it. Live like it's true. If we keep acting like we're still tied up, we stay stuck — even though the rope is already gone.

But when we thank God for what he's done and trust that we really are forgiven, we can walk away from the past. We can leave it behind.

A prayer

Dear God, we want to thank you that you sent your Son Jesus to pay all those fines and all those fees and all that jail time — by paying the ultimate cost through his death. Lord, thank you that he did not stay there, and that he rose again so we could be with you forever.

God, we are so sorry when we continue to do the wrong thing. Help us follow those laws that keep us safe and well and live a good life. Thank you for loving us no matter what.

Amen.

This week, maybe take a moment to ask yourself: am I living like the rope is still there? Or do I actually believe I'm free?

Based on an all-age talk for Easter 3, Year A, by Glenda Downie