THE FREE GIFT OF GOD

Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Throughout the Bible, God teaches us that the consequence of sin is death. We see that in the Garden of Eden. God told Adam that if he ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, he would surely die. Since all of us have sinned against God, we are all guilty of death. However, we can receive eternal life through our Lord Jesus. The reason we can receive eternal life from our Lord Jesus Christ is that He took the punishment of our sin and died on our behalf. We cannot receive eternal life from God through our good works because it is not enough to pay the penalty of our sins. We can only receive it as a free gift from God when we genuinely believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Other religions promote good works to be accepted by their gods. People must perform rituals and offer sacrifices to their gods to please and find favor from them. However, it is not so with our God. It is only through faith in Jesus that anyone can receive favor from God. 

Before I knew that it was only through faith in Christ Jesus that I could be accepted by God and receive eternal life, I was relying on my good works. I never had any assurance of salvation because I did more bad things than good things. Every time I sinned, I promised God that I would do better the next day. Then, the next day came, I sinned again. It came to a point that I felt condemned by God because of my sins. I began to think that every bad thing that happened to me was a result of God's discipline. Not until I realized that the reason Jesus died on the cross was to die for my sins, so that by believing in Him as my Lord and Savior, all my sins were forgiven. The moment I sincerely confessed my sins to Him, He immediately forgave all my sins. And He not only forgave my sins, but He also gave me eternal life. I have peace and assurance from God today because of my faith in the Lord Jesus. I don't have to prove myself to be accepted by God. We don't have to rely on our good works or count how many good things we have done. We are loved and accepted by God because of our faith in the Lord Jesus.

Choosing to believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior is, without a doubt, the most transformative decision that we can ever make. This step not only brings peace and purpose but also revives our spirit, guiding us toward a life filled with hope, love, and fulfillment. 

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) How can I be forgiven of my sins and receive eternal life? Have I made a decision to believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior? Are my own good works enough to be accepted by God? 

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life through my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Please help me to continue to grow in my spiritual walk with you. And when doubt shrouds my thoughts, please help me to remember that I am saved not because of my good works, but because of my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.