“The Wages or the Gift”

“The Wages or the Gift”

 

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

 

This verse of Scripture is familiar with MANY Christians.  This verse is used a lot of times as a witnessing tool. But I want you to know that the Apostle Paul was writing to the BELIEVERS in Rome. 

If you notice, the verse begins with an illustration of God’s MERCY:  REMEMBER: MERCY is not getting what the BELIEVER deserves.  They will not receive the WAGES of SIN, because ALL their SINS are FORGIVEN, they are REMOVED as FAR as the EAST is from the WEST.  And they are COVERED by the SOUL-CLEANSING BLOOD of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

The WAGES of SIN is DEATH, this is talking about an ETERNAL DEATH.  It is an ETERNAL LIFE IN HELL, SEPARATED from the ALMIGHTY GOD and if you are a TRUE BELIEVER, this will NOT happen to you, because you BELONG to GOD. 

Now, as a TRUE BELIEVER, if you fall BACK into SIN, it SEPARATES you from FELLOWSHIP with GOD.  And it robs you of your JOY and God’s WILL for your life. It will bring you what you have earned: MISERY, WEAKNESS, HEARTACHE, GUILTINESS, SICKNESS, and sometimes even PHYSICAL DEATH.

But as a TRUE BELIEVER you will receive the GIFT of GOD, which is His GRACE: It is getting what you DON’T DESERVE, which is ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  And NOBODY can take it AWAY from you, EVER!

A TRUE BELIEVER will SIN, because of their SINFUL NATURE, which we ALL have from birth.  But the TRUE BELIEVER has the Holy Spirit ABIDING in them, And He will CONVICT them of their sin.  Then they NEED to CONFESS their sin with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  And be ON GUARD, to KEEP it FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. 

So, which is it??  Are you a SLAVE to your SINS?  Are you RECEIVING WAGES for those SINS?   OR are you a SLAVE to RIGHTEOUSNESS?  Having RECEIVED GOD’S GIFT of ETERNAL LIFE?  God’s Gift is ETERNAL, and NOBODY or NOTHING can take it AWAY from YOU, the TRUE BELIEVER.

Here is what you MUST DO to RECEIVE GOD’S GIFT.  You MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, who GAVE His LIFE to SAVE your WRETCHED SOUL from an ETERNAL LIFE in HELL.  You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for YOU, before GOD.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BE WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT GOD’S GIFT of SALVATION and try with ALL your MIGHT to LIVE for HIM.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  HE’S WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!