The best bargain — Jesus paid full price for you

Published 8:00 am Friday, December 9, 2016

What is a bargain? My dictionary defines this word as, “an advantageous purchase.” It is what customers seek when they shop for whatever they want. Retail outlets spend thousands of dollars advertising their products as bargains. Usually, those who merchandise seek to convince potential buyers they can save 30 percent, 40 percent or 70 percent if they buy now. This is like a super magnet drawing people into the arena of business.

Do the customers really get a bargain — some thing worth more than the price? I doubt it. Logically, a business cannot last if they sell their products for less than they paid.

They must make a profit. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume, what you pay is cost plus profit.

People sometimes boast about how much they saved is buying something on sale. Others believe they have beat the system when they are offered $1,000 or more in cash if they sign a long term payment agreement. Let me say, “you have not gotten a bargain. You have been taken in by the system.”

There is another area of our lives where the term bargain is wrong. You cannot buy salvation at bargain prices. Real Christianity is very costly and precious. Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matt. 16:24) There is no bargain here.

The ultimate cost for our salvation was paid by Jesus Christ. He didn’t die at 40 percent off. He paid the full price.

“(A)nd you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven all your trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” (Col. 2:13. 14)

You are precious to God. You are never on sale to the devil. Jesus paid the full price for you and he wants to be your Lord.