Sin is often likened to a debt, an obligation that demands payment of equal or greater value. When we first sinned, we instantly accrued a debt that only a life of comparable worth could satisfy. Since we were not immediately struck down, it is evident that God was already choosing to overlook the offense, though not in an eternal sense. He exercised a measure of forgiveness by not blotting us out, even before we repented and came under the blood of Christ. Our debt was not fully paid at that moment, but it was being overlooked. This divine act of overlooking our massive debt, even before repentance, serves as a model for us. We, too, can overlook the sin-debts against us, even if the offender does not express remorse. Jesus exemplified this principle in His interactions, often declaring sins forgiven without waiting for a request for forgiveness. Even as His lifeblood drained away, He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do," addressing those who tortured Him and called for His death, who showed no signs of repentance. If this is the example He set, we should not wait for repentance before extending forgiveness. The debt we owe to God is always greater than any debt owed to us, and recognizing this unpayable debt compels us to forgive others, trusting that God will settle all matters with perfect justice and mercy.

In the Parable of the Two Debtors, sin is portrayed as a debt owed to a creditor, with Jesus Christ represented as the forgiving creditor. Two debtors are depicted—one owing 500 denarii and the other 50—illustrating varying degrees of sinfulness. The debtor with the larger debt of 500 denarii mirrors the woman known as a sinner, while the one owing 50 denarii reflects Simon the Pharisee, who sees himself as more righteous. Both are forgiven their debts in the parable, showing that all are debtors in the sight of our just Creditor, and none can discharge their debt on their own. Through His willingness to take on this debt and blot it out, Jesus Christ offers remission of sins to all who truly repent and turn to Him in faith. Once freed from the oppressive burden of sin's debt, gratitude must be shown by living in holiness and loving service to others, glorifying Him in a life of righteousness.

Forgiveness, as a gift from God, carries a condition that we must also forgive others. The essence of forgiveness is to give away an offense, to overlook it, and to treat the offender as not guilty, akin to considering a debt paid. The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant illustrates this concept vividly, showing the immense debt we owe to God compared to the debts others owe us. In this parable, the king, representing God, forgives an unpayable debt, symbolizing our sins. Yet, this forgiveness is not absolute; due to the servant's lack of compassion toward another, the king reinstates the original debt, requiring full payment. Similarly, if we fail to forgive others from our hearts, our own vast debt of sin may be laid back upon us, demanding payment with our lives. Thus, while God's forgiveness can remit the death penalty, ours operates on a much smaller scale, yet He requires us to practice it. If we desire Him to overlook our sins and treat us as guiltless, we must extend the same mercy to others, recognizing that our forgiveness is tied to our willingness to release the debts of sin held against us.

Sin is often expressed through the image of debt, a true metaphor where duty neglected becomes a debt to God that must be discharged by a penalty. All have sinned, and the wages of this sin are death, placing us under a peculiar form of indebtedness that we cannot pay and still retain hope. Regardless of the size of our debt, whether our sins appear blacker and more numerous or are clothed in respectability, we stand in the same relation to God, unable to meet the cost. No amount of tears, self-discipline, or change of life can lessen this debt; forgiveness, the payment of this debt, comes solely by God's mercy through the blood of Jesus Christ. We cannot pay for it ourselves, and if we could, God would be indebted to us, which is not the case. Our past stands cast in stone with a solemn death sentence written over it, and we cannot return to undo wrongs or redeem ourselves for them. Even mending our ways does not rectify the past, leaving us in penniless insolvency before God. This condition of need is necessary, for if we expect to be forgiven, we must recognize our insolvency. If we choose to pay the debt, we must pay it all, and the payment is death without hope; if we choose forgiveness, we fall under obligation to the One who pays our unpayable debt. Jesus draws direct correlations between our recognition of the enormity of forgiven sins and their payment, and our acts of love. One who knows he has been forgiven much feels more obliged to the Payer of his debt than the one who thinks his indebtedness small, feeling compelled to live as the Payer instructs. Those most conscious of forgiveness will bear the most fruit in godly love. Now that the debt has been paid for us, we are obliged not only to strive to avoid further indebtedness but also to expand and perfect the giving of love, which serves as the inclusive framework within which all duties should be done.

We come under obligation when we are rendered a service, producing indebtedness to the One who performed it. We feel required to respond by repaying this indebtedness, often with a heartfelt thank you at the very least. True obligation, closely tied to accountability and responsibility, is a deep conviction that we owe someone something, and this sense is crucial to understanding Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. We have nothing with which to pay the debt of our sins. We stand before Him in penniless insolvency, with empty pockets and hands. No justification on our part will clear us, but recognizing the depth of our insolvency is necessary if we expect to be forgiven and desire to be like Him. If we are to pay, we must pay it all; if He will forgive, we must let Him forgive it all on His terms. Choosing forgiveness puts us under obligation to the One who pays our otherwise unpayable debt. Jesus draws a direct correlation between acts of love directed toward Him and the recognition of the enormity of forgiven sins, as contrasted to the payment made to remove our indebtedness. We are obligated to love Him, and if this recognition is strong, we are virtually driven to do so by grasping the enormity of what we have been saved from and the tremendous value of what we are now free to pursue. The person who knows he has been forgiven for many egregious sins feels more strongly obliged to the One who paid his debt than one who thinks his indebtedness and forgiveness are of little consequence. The one forgiven much feels obligated to live the way his Redeemer instructs. Jesus teaches that those most conscious of forgiveness will be the most fruitful in love. The depth, fervor, and growth of our Christianity depend largely on the clarity of our consciousness of this contrast. A person can be very gifted yet not grow as much as one less gifted but more aware of his obligation to Christ, for the latter will be more motivated. During the Passover service, we are admonished to remember the whole package of His sacrifice—His connection to the Old Testament Passover, His life of sacrificial service, His violent death for the remission of sins, and who He was, our sinless Creator. This act becomes the foundation of all loving relationships with God and His Family, motivating us to love as a response to the debt we could not pay.

In the context of the footwashing ceremony described in John 13, a profound connection emerges between the act of washing feet and the concept of sin as debt. Jesus, in washing the disciples' feet, symbolizes the forgiveness of sin, restoring a clean relationship with God. This act reflects a deeper meaning, illustrating that just as He cleanses their feet, He also addresses the spiritual debt of sin that accumulates as one walks through life. This understanding extends to our interactions with others. Jesus emphasizes that if He, their Lord and Teacher, has washed their feet, they too must wash one another's feet, symbolizing the forgiveness of each other's sins or debts. This principle is reinforced in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:23-35, where a servant, forgiven of a massive debt by his master, refuses to forgive a small debt owed to him by another. The master, angered by this lack of mercy, delivers the unforgiving servant to torment until his debt is paid. Jesus warns that so will His heavenly Father do to those who do not forgive their brethren from the heart. The lesson is clear: just as we seek forgiveness for our own spiritual debts, we must extend the same mercy to others. By forgiving one another, we emulate Christ's example, releasing ourselves from the burdens of grudges and animosity. This act of mutual forgiveness, mirrored in the footwashing ceremony, not only cleanses us spiritually but also fosters happiness and peace, as Jesus promises in John 13:17, "If you know these things, happy are you if you do them."