Simple answer. God owes us nothing. Not good health, an easy life, protection from evil....
And what do we owe God? Everything. For our very existence, the air we breathe, food we eat, our health, our happiness. We have no rights to any of this. Everything is a gift from God. Not warranted or earned but a result of God's grace. And these gifts are given freely to all. Whether we believe in God or not. That sure knocks a hole in our self-righteous pride!
It's quite different to the way the world works. Where good works entitle us to reward.
Brent Kercheville explains these ideas in his post 'What does God owe you' using Jesus' teaching in Luke Chapter 17. Well worth reading.
Firstly a servant-master story. Servants are simply doing their job serving their master. They shouldn't expect any praise. And so it it with us and God. Jesus' words "... when you have done all that you were commanded (obeyed God's laws) say..." and here's the punch line "... We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty."
And then in the leper-healing story. Where only one said "thank-you". And he was the only one who received spiritual healing.
Luke’s Teaching Point
Those who are saved, those who are truly healed, and those who are in the kingdom of God are those who recognize that God owes them nothing and owe God everything.
Those in the kingdom realize that all our good deeds and righteous acts amount to nothing because that is what we were supposed to do. It is our duty. Therefore, all that we have and all the blessings of God are not due to us and are not owed to us.
Everything is a gift of God’s grace to us. Those in the kingdom of God see everything as God’s grace, turn to Jesus, fall at his feet in submission, praising God and thanking him for what he has done for them. Brent Kercheville
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