This is so, so true. Human separation could not be paid back by ourselves because we are inadequate and unable to do so, which can be attributed to our sinful nature. From the very beginning, we were sinners. In the Old Testament, there is conclusive evidence to say that God - through His mercy - provided us with noble men to carry out His promises for His people. You name them: Abraham, Moses, Israel, David, Solomon, Daniel, etc. These people were called to continue God's purpose.
Even they could not please the Living God, for they had done irreversible acts of sin that could not be forgotten.
In my early walk and pursuit of the Lord, I had struggled with the excessive abuse of God's grace. An indwelling sin, which I still battle to this day, is pornography and sexual immorality. I was around 12 years when I was exposed to porn, and I was professing to be a Christian at the same token. I was living a double life - deemed holy and righteous in the sight of man, but dirty and enslaved in the depths of my dark bedroom.
It was not only till I turned 20 when I had made a great change. Praise God I have been able to overcome this addiction with God's grace, mercy and love. I am now in an 11-month relationship (1 year next month!) with my girlfriend (after 10 months of pursuit and courting), and I am day-by-day being refined and transformed. Her accountability and presence alone products such tremendous zeal in the Lord, it definitely is a pillar of hope in my days of discouragement and temptation.
Despite this short testimony and story, God will definitely use people as a vessel of grace, to show us His unconditional and comforting love. However, we cannot do these things with our own will power.
This is why Ephesians 2 speaks volumes to me because while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Despite the fact that we could not save ourselves, Christ paid it for us with His innocent blood.
What amazing grace!
Now, with deeper investigation and reflection, the question now is: do we owe God for what He has done for us? Personally, I believe that is such a tricky and complex question to answer thoroughly. Free will is such a complex necessity in humanity, so of course, there are many depictions, thoughts, gifts that are ordained from God. However, there is an absolute truth and that truth is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without His willingness to remain steadfast in His faith in God, we would not be saved, and our faith would be foolish. His grace is enough for me to worship Him and submit my life to Him all my days.
May this be a great encouragement for both my fellow Christians, and skeptics who are unsure of where they stand with their faith. The truth is everyone practices faith, and has a belief in something - whether is a natural being (ourselves usually) or supernatural (God), we all put our faith in something. My hope and encouragement to us all is to cling to the Creator of the Universe, the Sovereign God who has given us spiritual life to the fullest.
Although our God does not promise perfection and joy in our physical lives, what we can have our hope on is knowing we will spend the rest of eternity with the God who saved us.
