Have you ever gotten into an argument with someone about who was going to be nicer? I have. I don't say this to brag as it wasn't a battle of kindness but rather a battle of pride. Maybe you've gotten down to the last slice of raisin bread (I like raisin bread) and each of you insisted on the other eating it. Or perhaps you've sat down at a restaurant to have a nice meal and argued with your guest about who is going to pay the bill.

These arguments often have hidden agendas. Sure kindness is involved but so is pride. Whether it be pride in one's own success whereas an act of charity is seen as an insult or embarrassing, or pride in one's own failure, whereas any form of charity is in no way deserved. These people have predictable outcomes in these examples. At the restaurant one pays the bill but the other promises to next time. As for the bread, the last slice is cold before it is eaten or is left uneaten altogether.

  Peter understood this pride,

Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter." Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." - John 13:5 - 8

Their is one crucial difference between my restaurant analogy and the story above where Jesus washed Peters feet. The difference; Peter had no way to make himself clean, Peter had no way or means to cover the cost of the meal, and Peter would not survive if he didn't eat the bread.

Some of us are too prideful to take the free gift of grace from Jesus feeling we can make do on our own. Some of us take it with the promise to pay Him back. And some of us refuse to take it as we have in no way earned it.

The first lack sight in realizing their need for a Savior. The second fail to see that their salvation is solely and utterly dependent upon Jesus and Him alone. The third refuse to accept it as they have already condemned themselves.

What if when you went into the restaurant and you sat down and the waitress said "order anything you want dear your meal has already been paid for". The first two questions that would pop in my mind, "By who?" The waitress replies, "why Jesus, who just left to return home". My next question would be swift to come out, "How much did He pay?" The waitress' reply, "As much as is needed, and in full".

Jesus has done that for us.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8

Whether you accept it or not, Christ died for your sins. The process isn't accept Christ and then He dies for your sins. He died for your sins already, so accept it.

and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. - 1 John 2:2

For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. - 1 Timothy 4:10

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. - 1 John 4:14

Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. - 2 Corinthians 5:18-21

God so loved the world (John 3:16), He sent His Son to be the Savior of the World. (1 John 4:14), and God laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isa. 53:6) so that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:17). Jesus came and died for the sins of the world. It is done, or as Jesus said while still on the cross just before yielding up His spirit, "It is finished!" (John 19:30)

It's done already. Every sin you have committed, are committing, or will commit has been paid for! Jesus has paid the bill in full before you came to be. Your part? Accept it! Embrace it! That is the very thing Jesus wants you to do and He has no hidden agenda.

Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. - Isaiah 30:18

How would you feel if you invited a bunch of dinner guests to go dine with you at a restaurant known to be "the best eatin' this side of the Mississippi", and upon arrival you quickly scurry in while your guests are still getting out of the car and overjoyed you hand the waitress huge fists full of hundreds and tell her to cover the costs of everything including any of her fees and to keep the change. The rests of the guests reach the door unaware and the waitress seats you. She comes to take your order and right away your guests start explaining to her how to divide the bill, pointing at each side of the booth they explain; "they are on one ticket and we are on another, and the kids belong to the third group on the end." The waitress then leans over, excited to share the good news, and says "your debt has already been paid in full". Of course you're quickly given away by the giant smile on your face and the pep in your posture. Now imagine how you would feel if your guest replied, "hogwash! We'll go it on our own thank you very much". The second group says to you, "oh thank you, here let me pay you back for it, or at least for part of it". And while they are handing you money to pay you back, you overhear the third group say to their kids, "sorry kids, put those rolls down, he paid for those with his hard earned money".

Jesus paid for your debt in full. (Col. 2:13). The money has been paid, the ransom has been met. (Matt. 20:28). The demands required of you have already been fulfilled (Matt. 5:17, Heb, 8:13, Rom. 7:6). What does God want? ACCEPT IT! You see Jesus had a deep joy at the thought of paying for your sins. Why? not because He enjoyed the cross, but rather the prize to be had!

...For the joy set before Him [He] endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:2

While He was on the cross, you were on His mind. You are that Joy. He did that for you.

“I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud
And your sins like a heavy mist.
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” - Isaiah 44:22