So he sends his messengers to personally invite the entire "A-List" to this once in a lifetime event, but each and every one choose to decline the offer.

By the time the messengers return, the banquet is almost ready, so he sends them back out to urgently summon them, adding what was to be on the menu. Nearly everyone again declined the offer and went about the regular everyday business. But a few from that town that were offended when pressured, seized the messengers and beat them to death.

When this was reported, the army was dispatched to apprehend the murderers, but in the ensuing battle, the town caught fire destroying everything "A-list" and all.

Hearing this, the King sent heralds to all of the major intersections in the Kingdom to compell everyone they could find to come - including, the good, the bad and the ugly, and keep it up until every seat was filled.

But as soon as the King made his entrance, he spotted a man still in his work clothes, that hadn't even bothered to dress up for the wedding. When confronted the man was offended and started making an ugly scene. So the King ordered him ejected, bound and taken to some dark distant place where his rage and screams could not be heard.

It was then that the King realized that even though more than enough were called, evidently, very few actually chose on their own to be there.

In Matthew 22:14: The King James says, "Many are called but few are chosen." But this is my retranslated paraphrase of the same scripture, which I believe will clarify what is being said:

"Many offers are made, but few actually commit to fulfill their part of the resulting contract." Jesus said that entry or citizenship into the Kingdom of Heaven was going to be like this:

Many offers would be made, but none of the "A-List" and very few of the others would actually commit to fulfill their part of the resulting citizenship contract.

i.e. The majority of those who believe that they are or will be citizens of the Kingdom, believe that their "good intentions" are good enough to obtain Kingdom citizenship, when in actuality, the commitment of a signed, legally binding, good faith contract is required.

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The NIV Version of this scripture says, "Love fulfills the Law - Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another."

The King James Version of this scripture says, "Owe no man anything, but to love him."

The King James Version has been construed by some to admonish believers to never borrow money for anything, at any time or for any reason, due to the fact that they would then owe someone something.

Well, let me ask you a question: If I promised you that, "before this time next week I will buy you some specific thing that you want," then don't I owe what I promised from the moment I promised it? The answer is "Yes."

I `owe' it to you to keep my word and fulfill that promise, just like I would `owe' you any money that you loaned me. On the other hand, I don't `owe' it to you in a bad way until after the payment or repayment becomes past due.

This same principal applies to every good faith promise, agreement, appointment, contract or covenant.

The moment you make a promise or an appointment or enter any kind of agreement or relationship - you `owe' someone something. In fact, there are implied obligations in every good faith relationship of every kind.

Even if it is as simple as an obligation to love one another enough not to harm the other party or make them less than whole.

If God promises you healing, then He owes you that healing from the moment you accepted His offer and converted it into a contract.

So is God against us making promises, financial or otherwise, or is He just against us making promises that we can't, or won't, keep?

At this writing we are personally "debt free" and our ministry is also "debt free" and I suggest that as much as possible, that everyone, especially in this economic environment, get and stay financially "debt free." Not because of scripture, but because of the compound interest working against you. But, simply stated, this scripture is `not' advocating being financially "debt free."

What it is saying is, to pay what you have agreed to pay, according to the terms you agreed to in your good faith agreement; because - good faith works by love, and keeping your word is an act of love that fulfills both the law of love and the law of good faith.

In other words: Don't allow any debt to remain outstanding, beyond that which was agreed by contract, with the exception of your perpetual, contractual obligation to operate in unselfish love towards one another, which is the only way that good faith and good faith contracts of any kind can successfully work.

The real focus of this passage then, is NOT "debt is bad" but rather, debt - outstanding beyond that which was agreed - is what is bad.

i.e. It's not about borrowing - It's about keeping your commitments.

This scripture is admonishing us to keep our word and fulfill our part of every good faith relationship. For failing to do so is a breach or a sin against whomever you owe.

Being late, not fulfilling or only partially fulfilling what you have agreed to, is `owing' someone in a bad way - because it is in breach of the agreement. It is not walking in love and it harms both the relationship, your good name and your reputation.