What Is So Good About The Verse That Says The Wages Of Sin Is Death? Romans 6:23

Christians love to quote the verse that says “The wages of sin is death…” but overlook the part of the verse that makes the point.

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

SIN
Everyone agrees that sin is bad. This verse states the ultimate punishment is death; in the Bible death is eternal separation from the Giver of Life. It is the sin is death context which makes the second part of the verse such good news.

THE MISTAKE WE CHRISTIANS MAKE
We know that a person’s eternal state is important and as messengers of the Good News Christians want people to get right with God, but it is the Holy Spirit’s job to show people their sin, their guilt, and give them a burden for their soul’s future; that is not our job, we are partners with the Lord in the Good News, not the bad.

THE GIFT
The verse’s second part is the heart of it, “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God has a free, unearned and undeserved gift for us, and He offers it to all who are willing to take it. This gift is more than freedom from judgment but eternal and abundant life, the threat of death is completely and irrevocably removed.

The giver of this gift is God himself, there is no better security for our eternal souls.  Since God is the giver no one can offer a better gift of salvation.  You could not invent a better way to be saved than God did and no other religion or philosophy could compete with it.  Since this gift is from the Holy Creator of the universe no one could ever be worthy of it; that is why it is a gift- because we are not worthy and never could be.

CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD
This gift of “Eternal Life” is anchored by a source bigger than ourselves our efforts, sacrifices, or deeds, because the life promised is “in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Eternal life is not in anything that can be shaken like my own religion or good works but in Christ.  He is the Resurrection and the Life.  He paid for our sin by dying in our stead on the cross.  Death has been defeated because Jesus overcame death and the grave when he rose on Easter.

BUT HE IS LORD
Jesus is not just a savior or some fire escape from God's punishment, he is Lord.  You cannot accept his salvation and forgiveness for your sins and then go on doing those sins that he died to pay for- it is a slap in his face or worse.  He died to give you new life it is right to use that life for him.

If you want to know more about coming to Jesus for new life see my other post.

(c) Adron Dozat 8/12/10

Do People Hear God Speak Today? Psalm 95:7B-9

In ancient times, the prophets heard the voice of the Lord. But is He silent today, or are there some of us who still hear Him speak? Is there some reason we cannot hear Him speak?

THE BIBLE GIVES US SOME ANSWERS

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where you tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did." Psalm 95:7b-9. NIV.

IF

The Bible answers the question, 'Does God Speak today?' with the word "if." If sounds like it may or may not happen. We can't make demands on God; it is for Him to decide if He is going to speak or not.

HOW

God may speak in many ways, such as the prompting of the heart, conscience, a sermon, a Bible passage, an opportunity to do good, or the counsel of a godly mentor. (Beware of false "voices" that imitate God's voice. Knowing God's Word keeps us straight since He will never go against His Holy Bible).

THE BIGGER QUESTION

The bigger question is not, "Does God speak to us," but "What do we do with what we have heard?" That answer makes all the difference! We choose either to yield our obedience or to harden our hearts by refusal. If God prompts us to do good work, we should do it. If scripture speaks to give or serve, we should. If we rebel and hold back our tithe or refuse to teach Sunday School when offered or work in the church nursery, then we have begun to harden our hearts.

HARD HEART

Hardening your heart is like Russian Roulette, sooner or later God will act with condemnation. In the wilderness, Israel suffered because they hardened their hearts. They didn't plan to, they saw more of the situation than they did of God, and complained. (Exodus 17:5-7). The lives of the Old Testament people serve as an example to us; we presume on God's grace when we rationalize inaction to His voice.

TO HEAR HIM SPEAK

God may speak, but we gag Him. We drown out His voice by crowding our lives with busyness, entertainment, and career; even good things like church service and family may create a volume that deafens us to Him. Jesus' words, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear," no longer apply to our generation. Let's resolve to live lives free of the complications stifling His voice. Let's seek Him afresh in prayer and His word. May we commit ourselves to obey His still small voice that may whisper in our hearts to do some service, make some sacrifice, or commit some good act in His Name.

(c) Adron 7/28/10

How Can Your Sins Be Cleansed? 2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV

We want our sins to be clean before God, so we say prayers, attend services, fast, etc. but do we have any assurance of cleanness?

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21.

God does not weigh our sins against counterbalancing “good deeds” and judge us based on the greater of the two. Sin deeply grieves God, who is so holy that the only payment is absolute death and eternal banishment from Him. But God does something about our sin we could never do; we can’t pay the price for sin but God puts our sin on one who did not have sin of his own to pay for.

RIGHTEOUSNESS
God freely gives what no man can ever earn- His righteousness. It is complete and satisfies the judgment of God against sin. God's righteousness is so far above any human righteousness that there is no comparison. Man’s righteousness only dresses up sin, but God's righteousness purifies as if sin never occurred.

SIN
Whatever God does is done perfectly. The fact that God put my sins on Jesus, and gives righteousness is a done deal; it is perfect and can’t be improved upon. We can rest, even rejoice, and celebrate that God has done what we never could do.

HIM
It is all because of Jesus. The pronoun "Him" is used twice, making the point.
     * In him we are offered righteousness.
     * In him we are given salvation. In him we have blessings.
     * In him we live. Why would anybody want to not be "in him?"
     * If you are not in him you am in your sin and will face judgment.
If you trust Jesus for salvation then you are are in him.

MIGHT
The word “might” means that the possibility now exists where it was not before but an action is required. You will have righteousness if you receive the salvation God offers through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus.

SALVATION
Salvation is free because Jesus paid a great price on the cross; salvation is not cheap because it cost Jesus everything. To learn more about salvation see my other blog.

(c)Adron Dozat