We Are Debtors

We Are Debtors!

Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:15-22; Psalm 116:1-8,12-14

Scripture Text: Romans 8:10-12 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

[11] But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also

quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. [12] Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Introduction:

In a sermon by Charles H. Spurgeon (The Christian-A Debtor, 1856), he states that Christians are indeed debtors in many ways.

**To the Christians of the past - i.e.,

-- Saints - who were faithful to God and His Word even when it cost them their very lives.

-- Pilgrims - who sought out a country where they could preserve the freedom to worship God and spread His Gospel.

Spurgeon: “They tell me, that they of old maintained the truth, and preached it, in the midst of fire and sword—that they bore death in defence of the cause of God, that they might hand down his holy word inviolate to us!....Is not this Bible opened and read by us all, the gift of their self-denying faithfulness? Is not the free air we breathe the purchase of their death? Did not they, by bitter suffering, achieve our liberty for us?

And are we not debtors to them? Shall we not, in some degree, repay the immense debt of our obligation by seeking to make the future also debtors to us, that our descendants may look back and acknowledge that they owe us thank for preserving the Scriptures, for maintaining liberty, for glorifying God?”

**To Christians of the present -i.e.,

-- Billy Graham, Ray H. Hughes, C.H. Spain, Wade H. Horton - who have continued, in present times, to preach the whole truth of God’s Word.

-- Christian laymen, i.e., Jay Sekulow, Don Wildmon, James Dobson, and others who have given their lives to the cause of preserving our Christian freedoms.

Spurgeon: “We see, in many a land, the proudest dynasties and tyrannies still crushing, with their mountain-weight, every free motion of the consciences and hearts of men. We see, on the other hand, the truest heroism for the right, and the greatest devotion to the truth in hearts that God has touched.”

Hebrews 11:32-40 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: [33] Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, [34] Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. [35] Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance;

that they might obtain a better resurrection: [36] And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: [37] They were

stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; [38] (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. [39] And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: [40] God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

** To the future generations.

Spurgeon: “If we, the children of God, are not valiant for truth now, if we maintain not the great standard of God’s omnipotent truth, we shall be traitors to our liege Lord. Who can tell the fearful consequences to future generations if we now betray

our trust....If we suffer orthodoxy to fail, or God’s truth to be dishonored, future generations will despise....our name....Stand up ye warriors of the truth, stand up firmly, for ye are debtors to the future, even as ye are debtors to the past. Sow well,

for others must reap. You are fountains for coming generations; O, be careful that your streams are pure. May the Spirit of God enable you so to live, that you can bequeath your example as a legacy to the future.”

** To the poor (especially the Godly poor).

Spurgeon: “Charity to the poor is a debt. We are not at liberty to give or to refuse. God requires us to remember the poor, and their poverty is a claim upon our generosity. But in the case of the believing poor, their claim upon us is far more binding, and I beseech you do not neglect it...."Brethren, we are debtors;" what I have is not my own, but God’s; and if it be God’s, then it belongs to God’s poor. What the