God’s Grace in Romans – Eternal Life a Free Gift
We saw from our last discussion that by means of our new nature which is created righteous, we are forever slaves to righteousness.
Then we hear the apostle continue;
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23
The word used above for wages is from the Greek word opsonion and it means stipend or pay (Strong’s Concordance G3800).
Sin has a salary or reward and that reward is death and not good works. The payment for sin is not even confession; where we hold this notion that after each sin I confess.
Confession is good, righteous works are good but the payment for sin is not any of those. The only reward sin accepts is the reward of death.
Many of us have lived with this thought that sin is paid for by self-imposed punishments, or a verbal admission of the offence. If these things were the wages then Jesus wouldn’t have come. The word of God says:
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Hebrews 9:22
Observe carefully this last part of the verse “without shedding of blood is no remission”
Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
This is not talking of crawling or piercing oneself with objects so blood could come out. In context it speaks of a sacrificial blood.
The only payment sin accepts is death. This is why Jesus had to die for our sins. One time he prayed to the father asking if there was any other way the sacrificial cup would pass away, but the father answered not.
Then finally we heard;
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Mathew 26:28
Acknowledging sins is good but we must look beyond that to the payment. If we say we have sinned and do not receive the payment for that sin which is the death of Jesus then our sins cannot be forgiven.
But when we receive the payment for our sins which is to die with Jesus then our forgiveness becomes eternal.
Since only death pays for sins, Jesus doesn’t die daily, hence; his onetime death has paid for our sins forever.
There remains no more offering for sin but a giving of thanks for the wage paid by Jesus;
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;… Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Hebrews 10:12, 18
When we put our trust in Jesus we receive the free gift of eternal life. Observe that eternal life is a gift and not a reward.
Death is a reward for sin, but eternal life is a free gift for trusting in Jesus. He paid for sin with his life and we receive eternal life as a free gift. Hallelujah!
Confession
Gracious father be blessed for taking my place in death. I owed a wage I could never pay, but through Jesus I am set free.
My debts are paid, my sins forgiven and eternal life is now my experience.
I have exchanged my life of sin, sickness, and poverty for the glorious life of Christ.
By faith I walk in divine health, divine wealth and divine righteousness. Glory to God!
Prophetic Insight
In an encounter with the Lord, I heard “There can be no mixture of light and darkness; I have set the boundaries of old. I have said to you ‘the dark season is gone, the true light now shines.’
A divine bloom is upon you dear child. Don’t look at the muck, I have placed an irreversible blessing on you and no curse can stand in your flourishing.
I have loved and blessed you. I have placed you in my light and have set a boundary between you and the darkness. Rest in this light and enjoy my goodness.”
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:4
because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.1John 2:8
Blessings in Christ;
Pastor Jahfas Victor Ahua
Living Hill Christian Church.