We could imagine Paul acting like bank manager with the Colossians, He calls them in, and he shows them this massive positive number, and they ask, "what is that?" And Paul answers, "that is what you needed to get into heaven." And then he shows them his computer screen and on it is this massive negative number, that just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and they ask “what is that number?" and Paul says "that was your sin debt the day before you got saved, it would have been due at your death." But then Paul pushes a receipt towards them and says, "but this is your current account!" And in it they see not that huge ever growing negative number, but exactly, to the very penny, the amount they needed to get into heaven.

And he says, “you see first Jesus paid the debt you couldn’t and weren’t even willing to, and then he put the amount you needed into your account, credited or imputed it to you.” That is your salvation.