We have a saying in English, “Going for Broke,” which means that someone is willing to risk everything they have in the hopes of having great success. They take the most extreme or risky course of action possible in order to try and achieve that success by using all available resources. If it does not work, then they end up with nothing—bankrupt.
This was the motto of the Japanese-American military unit 442nd Infantry Regiment during the World War II. It originated in the Hawaiian Pidgin English. It is slang and was used in a game they played with dice. Players wager everything on the outcome of a single roll of a dice. If they lost, they would be bankrupt.
When you hear the word “bankrupt”, often the first thing you think of is money and someone who had so many debts that they could not pay them. They simply ran out of money and ended up with nothing. That is the most common usage of the word. It comes from an Italian word that literally translates Broken bank (Rupt coming from Rupture).
In many countries, a person or organization can be declared bankrupt by law when unable to pay their outstanding debts. A legal proceeding is carried out to provide them freedom from their debts, and their creditors are given an opportunity for repayment. A person’s property is then taken and disposed of for the benefit of the creditors. Having “gone for broke”, they lost. If, for example, let us say that someone borrows a lot of money to start a new business venture. If the business is a failure, they end up with a massive debt that they cannot pay and they declare bankruptcy. They may be free from debt, but they may lose their house in the end, also.
We are told that we must “go for broke” regarding salvation. We are to risk everything in an all-out effort. Sadly, although many may risk all, some do end up spiritually bankrupt in the end and lose eternal life.
In the Bible, Jesus told several parables of men who went for broke. “The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Matthew 13:44–46. These men were not afraid to go for broke. They were confident in the final reward. They gave all and were richly rewarded. We must possess this same confidence. “We are to give ourselves to Christ, to live a life of willing obedience to all His requirements. All that we are, all the talents and capabilities we possess, are the Lord’s, to be consecrated to His service. When we thus give ourselves wholly to Him, Christ, with all the treasures of heaven, gives Himself to us. We obtain the pearl of great price.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 116
Many Christians begin their spiritual journey with high hopes of obtaining the reward. However, they often get discouraged when they see the cross that is required; when they are asked to “go for broke.” Thus, they give up and end up spiritually bankrupt. The rich young ruler was of this class. “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” Matthew 19:21–22. This young man was not willing to go for broke and risk it all for his salvation. Therefore, he ended up being spiritually bankrupt. We
do not know the end of his life story, whether he ever repented. Unless he did, he may have gained the world but lost his salvation. “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Matthew 16:26
Being spiritually bankrupt has nothing to do with money or talents. There are many false Christians who claim to love Jesus but will lose their salvation, regardless of the donations they made or the good works they have done in their lives. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1. They may have gone for broke—given their all—and still end up coming short. Why? Paul spoke of love in this chapter; and love comes from the heart. They risked all, except their heart. The heart is a secret place that no one in this world can enter. Not even the angels. Only God can read your heart, and that is why He is the most wise judge in the end. Some may look humble but have secret sins and pride hidden in their hearts. These people will sound their own praises. “Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22–23
Your good works do not prevent bankruptcy. You may task all your energies for salvation and still be lost if you lack inner love and devotion. This was the condition of many of the religious leaders in the days of Christ. Although they seemingly kept the laws and traditions they had created, perfectly, outwardly, Jesus read their hearts. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” Matthew 23:27
Before a person is declared financially bankrupt, they will have had to incur a sizeable, unpayable, debt. If you have debt, then you have taken a risk. To become spiritually bankrupt, you also must have a sizeable debt that you cannot pay.
Do we have a debt? Yes, we do. Once Adam and Eve sinned, they were placed on death row—eternal death. They had a debt they could not pay. We also have an enormous debt of sin that we cannot pay. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. How many sins does it take to spiritually bankrupt a person? “Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire, persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel.” –Steps to Christ, p. 34. Thus, leading to spiritual bankruptcy.
We are debtors—the debt is overwhelming—it brings with it eternal consequences and, of ourselves, we are utterly unable to do anything to pay the debt, not even one penny. We have no excuses to make—our works will not suffice in paying our debt.
God’s standard of judgment is the keeping of His entire Law. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10. Perfect obedience to a perfect law is that which is required by the justice of the Most High—and there is not one single person who has ever lived who could keep the law perfectly and without sin (except Jesus). The greatest patriarchs and kings in the Bible made mistakes on occasion, but many repented and found forgiveness in Christ.
When we take our eyes off Jesus, we will fall into sin. If we persist in sin, God’s mercy has a limit, and we are in danger of being banished from His Presence and from the glory of His power. Each time you ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit, you increase your debt of sin and head down the road to bankruptcy. “The influence of the Spirit upon the human mind will regulate it after the divine order. But the Spirit does not work in a manner and power beyond the human agent’s power of resistance. A man may refuse to hear the counsels and admonitions of God. He may choose to take the regulating of his conduct into his own hands.” –The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 1159. How fearful a thought to hear the words, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Jeremiah 8:20
Our spiritual value is not calculated in dollars and cents. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus clearly tells us the types of people who are happy and debt free (Matthew 5:1–10). It is those that are poor in spirit, those that mourn, those that are persecuted, those that are meek, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and those that hunger and thirst after righteousness who are free from bankruptcy. Jesus mentioned nothing about money. The Rich Young Ruler’s wealth did not bring him peace and happiness.
King Belshazzar had a lot of wealth and enjoyed feasting and drunkenness. After the mysterious hand-writing on the wall, Daniel had a message to him from God, “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” Daniel 5:27. That very night, the Medes and Persians took the city and Belshazzar committed suicide. He was spiritually bankrupt. Judas gained 30 pieces of silver for denying Jesus—a small gain. He also ended up in spiritual bankruptcy and took his own life. Both men were materially wealthy, but their wealth was worthless at the final crisis of their lives. We do not want to end up like these men; therefore, we need to reconcile our spiritual account with God.
The world tells us that we must get as much wealth as we can to be happy, but Jesus tells us that happiness begins when we recognize that we are totally dependent on God. Without Jesus you are nothing, you have nothing, and you can do nothing. You are deep in debt. All you can do is come to Jesus in repentance, asking Him for help in payment of your debt before you end up completely bankrupt. Jesus is the “Mediator between God and men.” 1 Timothy 2:5. The only source of true joy and happiness is in Jesus Christ, not in your outward circumstances. But you must choose Christ, or you will end up on Satan’s pathway to destruction. “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.” 1 Kings 18:21
On Calvary, Jesus paid our spiritual debt in full. “Who gave Himself a ransom for all.” 1 Timothy 2:6. He offers you freedom. The road may be narrow, the cross may be heavy, but He will be with you every step of your heavenly journey. In following Jesus, we are to risk all. Give up the world completely and accept Christ. It is not a religion; it is a relationship. We get to know Him by reading the Bible, praying and attending church, and when we understand His love, we will desire to obey all of His commandments. As you grow in your faith, Jesus will reveal more about who He is and the purpose that He has for your life. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11
The Apostle Paul tells us that we are to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12), but we have help. “For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. Every good thing that man does results from the Spirit of God working upon the heart and mind.
Once you realize that you are totally dependent on Jesus to avoid spiritual bankruptcy, He entrusts you with talents to enrich you. “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.” Matthew 25:14–15. This is the wealth that God has provided. When He returns, He will call you into account for the usage of His entrusted wealth.
I pray that we will be like the faithful servants. “Those who have received the five and the two talents return to the Lord the entrusted gifts with their increase.
“In doing this they claim no merit for themselves. Their talents are those that have been delivered to them; they have gained other talents, but there could have been no gain without the deposit. They see that they have done only their duty. The capital was the Lord’s; the improvement is His.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 360–361. “Without the grace of Christ every soul would have been bankrupt for eternity; therefore we can rightfully claim nothing. But while we can claim nothing, yet when we are faithful stewards, the Lord rewards us as if the merit were all our own. He says, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’” –Testimonies to Ministers, p. 166–167. “The approval of the Lord is received almost with surprise, it is so unexpected.” –The Review and Herald, September 23, 1899
If we do not manage our material finances correctly in light of eternity, we will find ourselves, perhaps rich in this world’s goods, but bankrupt for eternity as was the rich young ruler who came to Jesus. You may have much wealth in this world, but be bankrupt before God. It all depends on where you are making your financial deposits. “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:20–21. Of those who do not trust the bank of heaven, it is written: “Their treasure is not laid up in heaven but on the earth, and they mind earthly things. They are laying upon the foundation wood, hay, and stubble, which the
fires of the last day will consume. The life work, so full of anxiety, perplexity, and needless toil, is lost, eternally lost! The treasure that might have been laid up in the bank of heaven is swept away, and the poor souls who have misapplied the means lent them of God are bankrupt for eternity!” –The Review and Herald, December 7, 1886
Some think that their material blessings are theirs to do with as they please. Here they are wrong. “Do all church-members realize that all they have is given them to be used and improved to God’s glory? . . . God keeps a faithful account with every human being in our world.” –The Review and Herald, September 23, 1899. Having given their 20% to the Lord, some believe that the remaining 80% is theirs to do with as you please. After the bills have been paid, there is a little left over, and then what? “Some think that only a portion of their means is the Lord’s. When they have set apart a portion for religious and charitable purposes, they regard the remainder as their own, to be used as they see fit. But in this they mistake. All we possess is the Lord’s, and we are accountable to Him for the use we make of it. In the use of every penny, it will be seen whether we love God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 351
“The Lord has been pleased to present before me the evils which result from spendthrift habits . . . money spent for that which they do not need is perverted from its proper use.” –The Adventist Home, p. 374. Now there is nothing wrong with spending money for a neatly furnished house, without extravagant display and trimmings, or spending money to beautify our surroundings with plants and flowers. We are to be wise though. Spend for good quality, but not be extravagant. “We are pilgrims and strangers on the earth. Let us not spend our means in gratifying desires that God would have us repress. Let us fitly represent our faith by restricting our wants.” –Ibid., p. 374–375. “The expenditure of sums that look small may start a train of circumstances that will reach into eternity. When the judgment shall sit, and the books are opened, the losing side will be presented to your view–the good that you might have done with the accumulated mites and the larger sums that were used for wholly selfish purposes.” –The Adventist Home, p. 383
“Money is a needed treasure; let it not be lavished upon those who do not need it. Someone needs your willing gifts. If you have extravagant habits, cut them away from the life as soon as possible. Unless you do this, you will be bankrupt for eternity.” –Counsels to the Church, p. 156. “When you are tempted to spend money for knickknacks, you should remember the self-denial and self-sacrifice that Christ endured to save fallen man.” –The Adventist Home, p. 382. We could include, not only the needless spending on unnecessary knickknacks, but also foods that are unhealthy and purchased, not for health, but to satisfy a perverted appetite; foods that are unhealthful, containing a lot of sugar and chemical preservatives.
“Many who profess to be waiting for the coming of the Lord are absorbed in the things of this life. Many who are already wealthy think only of how they can obtain more wealth. They take little or no interest in the advancement of Christ’s kingdom. Dollars and cents are more to them than the souls of men. These may have earthly treasure, but in the sight of God they are poorer than the poorest. They may have houses and land and money at their disposal, but every year their soul-poverty increases. The record in the courts-above shows them to be bankrupt. They may be adding to their earthly gain, but each day they are adding to their eternal loss.” –The Youth’s Instructor, April 17, 1902. Thus was the life of the rich young ruler.
“If men are in connection with Christ, they will feel it a very serious responsibility to be in possession of a large revenue. If they have the converting power of God upon their hearts, their earnest inquiry will be, How can I wisely use my Lord’s goods?” –The Review and Herald, October 24, 1899
“There is nothing, save the selfish heart of man, that lives unto itself.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 20. Selfish people only think and act for themselves. They are in great danger of becoming spiritually bankrupt. “Whatever the appearance may be, every life centered in self is squandered. Whoever attempts to live apart from God is wasting his substance. He is squandering the precious years, squandering the powers of mind and heart and soul, and working to make himself bankrupt for eternity. The man who separates from God that he may serve himself, is the slave of mammon. The mind that God created for the companionship of angels has become degraded to the service of that which is earthly and bestial. This is the end to which self-serving tends.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 200–201
“Those who love this temporal life so well that they will scheme for themselves, and work upon worldly plans, will find at last that they are bankrupt; for they are without the eternal riches. But those who hate this life, who choose death rather than a life without Christ, win heaven. Those who devote their lives to God’s service, who honor Him, and commit the keeping of their souls to Him as unto a faithful Creator, will bring forth fruit unto eternal life. The Lord will keep that which is committed to His trust against that day. He will honor the man who serves Him with the whole heart.” –The Signs of the Times, July 1, 1897
“How stands your life record? Is Jesus pleading in your behalf in vain? Shall He be disappointed in you. . . . Eternity will reveal whether they were bankrupt in faith and failed to secure eternal life, or whether they were rich toward God and heirs of the ‘far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.’ Will you not consider that the long forbearance of God toward you calls for repentance and humiliation of soul before Him?” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 350–351
“Were it not for God’s gracious gifts and blessings, we should be bankrupt for eternity. Then let no one sound his own praises, feeding upon his own supposed wisdom. If his talents were of his own manufacture, there would be some consistency in self-praise. But man has nothing of his own. Let us not reveal our lack of true wisdom by exalting self. Let us bow low in humility at the feet of Him who has intrusted to us our talents. Let us use and improve these talents, handing principal and interest back to the Giver.” –The Signs of the Times, March 8, 1899
Jesus risked it all for you. He “went for broke” to prepare a place for you in heaven. He is not bankrupt today. Will you “go for broke” and risk all to receive this reward He has prepared for you? It will be worth the risk and anyone who surrenders their heart and life to the Lord by taking this risk—right here and now, will not come up short. You will not be found bankrupt when Jesus comes. Jesus will never disappoint you. How beautiful it will be to hear the words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Matthew 25:21. Amen.
Wendy Eaton