But it is in contrast to what I believe that a person must do works of repentance to make up for the badness she has done. Matthew 3:8 I think most people will agree a dead person can not do that.
In context, the religious leaders have come to John the baptist looking to be baptized, but he calls them a brood of vipers and tells them that if they have actually repented then they should start demonstrating that with their actions - He was discerning that they had not actually repented in their heart, so had no business being baptized.
The idea that we need to do good works to atone for our bad works is not good news, and the very meaning of the gospel is "good news". Because you're enslaved to a debt you can never repay on your own. The Good News is that Jesus paid off your debt already.
Colossians 2:
13 When you were dead [
k]in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Consider these two parables about debt Jesus gave us:
Matthew 18
23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he had begun to settle
them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 But since he did not have
the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26 So the slave fell
to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27 And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and
began to choke
him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow slave fell
to the ground and
began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30 But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31 So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32 Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34 And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
A debt of 10,000 talents is something that he and his children could never have repaid, ever. One talent was equivalent to a years wages for the average person.
He, his children, and his children's descendants would be doomed to perpetual slavery trying to pay that off.
Jesus is using this as a parable of how He has forgiven us so greatly, so that in same way we should not hold comparably trifling offenses against our brothers and sisters, but should show them mercy.
He not only forgave him all that debt, but the debtor had done nothing to deserve it, it was purely an act of mercy, and no further work was expected of him.
The only thing he ends up wanting from the debtor is a heart that is willing to forgive others of their debts towards him.
It is a dangerous place to be in if you want to start judging who deserves to have their sins forgiven, based on their works, because it shows one is not aware of how much they have truly been forgiven. Or worse, it puts them in a position of thinking they are ok to judge others because if the were judged then they would "pass the test" of having done nothing really bad but done much good.
The epistles tell us that transgressing even one part of the law is as having transgressed all of it. A liar is just as guilty as a murderer in the sight of the law. Those who trust in their own righteousness to justify them will be sorely mistaken. It's very difficult to judge others as not deserving their sins forgiven if you realize that you yourself weren't righteous enough to be saved without the mercy of Jesus having forgiven you.
The next parable:
Luke 7
40 And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” 41 “A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 Those who were reclining
at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this
man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Her works didn't save her, her faith did. Her actions were a demonstration of her faith in what He did, for she knew how much she had need of forgiveness.
Consider the thief on the cross:
39 One of the criminals who were hanged
there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed
are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”
What works did the thief do from the Cross to atone for his misdeeds?
All he did was turn his heart towards Jesus in faith.
When you realize that Jesus bore our sins and is so merciful, It's truly a wonderful thing for all of us. Good news indeed, the gospel.
Romans 8
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life [
a]in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, [
b]weak as it was through the flesh, God
did: sending His own Son in the likeness of [
c]sinful flesh and
as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
We have all incurred a debt we can never repay under our own effort. This system suits satan just fine because it keeps us and our descendants enslaved to the law of sin and death. An analogy would be getting into a credit card debt you can't work off, and just living your life you end up racking up more debt in the process, but those who keep you and your children in slavery over this are happy to let this process continue.
One day someone comes along and not only pays off all your debts, but offers to set up a joint account with Him so that you can have access to all His riches. All you need to do is believe that it is there so you can recieve it willingly.
But your creditors would prefer you remain in ignorance, and keep you enslaved to a debt of sin that is no longer your responsibility to bear, hoping you don't become aware that you can tap into an account of riches as a joint hier with Christ.
I have heard people say that a very bad person can be awarded heaven as long as he repents of his bad deeds before he dies and acknowledges God's superiority.
There's no clearer picture of that being true than the thief on the cross.
But to understand why that is the case, it may help to ask yourself this:
When a father disciplines a child, what is the purpose of that discpline?
The purpose is to make them realize that they were wrong, to give them a desire to do what it is right, bringing about a character change that is aligned with what is right.
God is after your heart. He doesn't want to punish you. He doesn't want you to suffer for your crimes. He just wants you to realize you were doing something wrong so you can stop doing it. He wants you to realize that His ways are right, and yours aren't. He wants you to trust Him.
