"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23)
Do you ever notice how the good news comes last? Even in conversations we always start with the bad news so that we can end on a good note. We like to have the good news last so that we can focus on that and not worry about the bad new. With Christ, there is always a good news!
In today's passage, Paul mentions the problem so he could introduce the solution. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." ( Romans 6:23 ) This verse is a well know verse. I remember memorizing it as a child. I also remember hearing mention of it every time I heard someone share the gospel. As a child, this is what I heard... 'the wages of sin is death.' But that is simply the bad news. Thankfully Paul did not end the sentence there.
Neither did Jesus. The good news is that there is a gift. The good news or gospel literally means, 'the almost too good to be true news', meaning that this gift is so good, we always look for a catch. But there isn't one. Paul said the 'gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord'. If we focus on what we can earn, then our wages result in death. However if we accept this free gift then the gift brings eternal life instead of death. Isn't that amazing!
I am so glad that Paul ended this chapter with the good news. No longer are we bound under sin or our old nature. But we have been freed of it and introduced to our new nature which was obtained through Christ Jesus as a gift from God. Today, celebrate this free gift and the good news! Amen!
"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life" (Romans 6:22)
Did you know that we were called to be holy? Peter talks about this I Peter, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." ( I Peter 1:15-16 ). Peter is quoting from the Old Testament Law in Leviticus. God had instructed the Israelites to be holy patterned after God and His holiness. Although throughout the scriptures we see how desperately the Israelites failed continuously at this. They could not live holy because it was impossible.
In the same way we are called to be holy. But as New Testament Believers our holiness depends upon Christ not the law. It is not impossible for us, as was the case with the Israelites, because our holiness is not a byproduct of our actions. Our holiness is a side-effect of our new born again spirit. We are holy because God is holy. We are presently holy because we have the Spirit of Christ living inside of us. This might be a new concept but that is what Paul is saying in today's passage. Holiness comes out of your new nature and it exists presently in your born again spirit.
Lets looks further at what Paul said, "But now since you have been set free from sin and have become the slaves of God, you have your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life." ( Romans 6:22 Amp ). So the reward of holiness is eternal life. Now we know, as born again believers we currently possess eternal life. Jesus said in John 3:36, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life...." Jesus used the present tense form of the word so that we would know, we experience eternal life right here and now by believing in the Son. He also tells us what eternal life is, "... Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." ( John 17:3 ). So eternal life is knowing God the father and Jesus Christ the son and we currently possess this now by believing in the Son. So if we already have the result of holiness, which is eternal life, the we also have to possess holiness. Remember, holiness is not based on actions or work which would be self-righteousness, but it is based upon what was provide for us in our born again spirits. Which we received by believing in Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior.
Jesus has set us free from the sin nature and has given us the holiness that the law ascribed to. We are holy because Christ is Holy. When God looks at us, he sees Christ. Jesus' blood is the filter and cleansing agent that God used to make us right with him. Today may this revelation of your holiness in Christ overtake you. May you see it's results manifest into your live from now on. God bless you!
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I’m passionate about Jesus, His Word, living in His grace, using technology and creating beautiful things. But mostly my passion is about spreading the gospel of Jesus to a world that needs Him.
I’m passionate about Jesus, His Word, living in His grace, using technology and creating beautiful things. But mostly my passion is about spreading the gospel of Jesus to a world that needs Him.
