What we deserve

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23

In our culture, we have a very positive connotation of the word “wages.” This is almost always used by us in terms of monetary compensation received for work we have put into a certain task or job. Sometimes we may be a bit displeased with our current wage or pay, but for the most part, whatever compensation we receive is recognized and appreciated as being vital for us to survive and thrive; therefore, wages seem like a blessing to us in the way the term is used in our workforce today. However, in this verse from the book of Romans, Paul is using the term “wages” to pack quite a punch about what we certainly have coming to us concerning our sinful nature. He is saying that what we will “earn” from our sin is death. “The wages of sin is death,” according to the Bible.

You are likely reading that verse and noting that all humans die eventually, so what is the big reveal here? Paul is not only referencing a physical death in this verse, but a spiritual one, as well. If we are left in our sinful state with no perfect, holy Savior to step in and rescue us from our fate, then physical death and eternal death (hell) are inevitable. That is the wage we have earned. Thinking of wages in this manner seems significantly more sobering. It is a reality that we all must understand fully when figuratively coming to the foot of the cross to receive God’s grace. If we do not see the inescapable nature of sin that we possess, nor the high cost of such sin, we will continue to walk through life with an attitude of self-righteousness and entitlement, having no idea that we even need a Savior. Accepting this harsh reality is a necessary precursor to the end goal which is to receive Christ as our Savior.

What we get

So far, from these two first posts, we have established that we are inevitably guilty of sin that separates us from a holy God, and now we know that sin’s inevitable consequence (cost) is physical and spiritual death. If you feel that you have just about had enough of the bad news, you’re in the perfect place at the right time. The good news is finally upon us with the second half of today’s verse. In the latter part of Romans 6:23, Paul informs us, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Ah! Finally some really great news! We are not left hopeless because of our inevitable state. Our merciful God provided a way to unite us back to Himself. Let’s see how this rescue plan works:

The first truth we notice in this verse is the use of the word “free.” We are all familiar with that welcomed word in everyday life. When we happen upon something free, we feel as though we have truly won and maybe even “cheated the system.”  Why do you think that is? I believe it is because deep down, we know that free is rare and only happens at the expense of another person giving up what he/she has the right to charge. Therefore, it truly is an act of gracious generosity. Receiving something “free” often comes with an acknowledgement that someone had to give up something in order for you to receive it. Even if we happen upon a $20 bill on the sidewalk with no one in sight to claim it as their own, the reality is that someone dropped that money and it is still a loss for them.

The same is true with the free gift God gives to us. The gift of eternal life cost Jesus his life. God had to witness His only son die on a cross at the hands of prideful Pharisees in order to carry out what God established as His plan for man’s redemption at the beginning of time. (Yes! In Genesis, there is mention of Jesus’ presence at creation, and the foretelling of Jesus coming as Savior when Adam and Eve first sinned.) Salvation is a gift that is free to you but came at a great cost to Christ. When Paul references the mercy that God extends to us with His free gift, it is not just simply a “good deal” we stumbled upon. We didn’t just get lucky and find ourselves in the right place at the right time to receive something free. No…it is quite different. You see, God alone possesses the power to carry out the punishment you and I deserve for our sin. He is the One who is in control of the outcome over your spiritual destination. Therefore, He is the only One who can pardon you from such a fate. Yet, He graciously extends a completely free gift to you that no one could ever earn. His gift is rooted in His deep love for you that He gives to you freely. So, as we read Romans 6:23, I hope we always see that phrase “free gift” and know that it represents intense love from a God who paid a hefty price for the gift of grace He extends to us.

Jesus is enough

In addition to this gift being free, it is also fully sufficient. Our verse today states that this free gift is a gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus. Eternal life…forever…without beginning or end. This is such a difficult concept for us humans to even wrap our heads around – the reality of what eternity is like – yet God promises this incomprehensible favor upon us who believe. We are given a gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord! (This is a point at which we Christians love to say, “Amen!”) We are so grateful to God for undeserving grace that it is overwhelming to truly consider the full weight of what we have received.

The sufficiency of the free gift of eternal life is found in one person only – Jesus Christ. The last few words in today’s verse identify Christ Jesus as Lord. What Jesus accomplished on this earth was for you, and it was fully sufficient to accomplish what God requires of you. We do not need to try adding to this free gift in any way. Even if we could, what would we add to the reality of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? Those three stages of Christ’s work on earth are all drenched in miracles, suffering, and majesty that we couldn’t begin to supplement with anything valuable from this earth.

Jesus paid it all, and we must accept Him as the fullness of our salvation. Beware: the world will tell you otherwise. Many believe there are multiple ways to achieve eternal life and communion with God. Celebrities, social media influencers, and even some seemingly brilliant religious leaders will push a different message about salvation that includes all religions being acceptable to God. This can be a tough concept for our human minds to fight off. We want to believe that God would be open-minded or all-accepting like we envision him; however, God is not like us. We must remember this truth at all times as we study His character and the way He interacted with his people in the Bible.

God demands that His word be trusted, and His word says that ALL who believe upon the Lord Jesus will be saved. God doesn’t exclude anyone who truly desires a relationship with Jesus, but He is not “open-minded” to creating multiple paths to this end. He has given us a free gift, one that is incredibly costly and unmatched. Receiving God’s gift is the only manner of pardoning us from eternal death.

Jesus is the only way.

If you are ever challenged by others about being limited in your thinking when it comes to the road to salvation being in Christ alone, please remind yourself and others that you are only standing on what Almighty God has stated in His word. It isn’t your plan, but God’s plan. You are just simply choosing to trust it and communicate it.

*Note from the author: This post is the third installment in a series of six posts explaining the process of salvation through Jesus Christ. If you have questions concerning the Christian faith, I invite you to read through the first six posts on this blog site in the order they were published. I am praying for you!