“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 6:23
The gift of God according to Romans 6:23 is eternal life. Eternal life will not be earned by any standard of moral character or by any measure of “good works.” Though intentions seem right, many are misguided. Someone has said, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Jesus Christ died a substitutionary death, meaning, He died in your place as an offering for sin to appease the wrath of God and to satisfy His justice as the payment for sin. Christ died, was buried, and He raised Himself to life to purchase your eternal redemption. Salvation, therefore, is not based on what you do, but what Christ has done for you.
According to Romans 4:4, if salvation could be earned by “good works” salvation would not be “reckoned of grace, but of debt.” i.e. you are expecting God to reward your good works. How absurd! God is a debtor to no one. If you can earn the favor of God, why then did Jesus die as a ransom for your sin? A gospel that annuls the grace of God is not only false teaching, but it is a perversion of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“I do not frustrate (annul, void, reject, declare invalid) the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
Galatians 2:21
Romans 6:23, can be divided into 3 important biblical truths to help you understand your need of eternal life, the gift of God.
1. THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH.
You were born in Adam’s likeness, spiritually dead and inherently a sinner. Romans 5:12 states, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” According to Romans 6:23 the wages or payment of sin is death including eternal condemnation. John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Christ died however, in your place, as a ransom or payment for sin to set you free.
“Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
Supporting Reference: Romans 5:12
2. THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE.
Man will not be justified by his own goodness or by his own good works but by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Your eternal salvation was purchased by the redemptive work of Christ on the cross upon which He died outside the gates of Jerusalem. Therefore, eternal life is a gift, which is received by believing on Jesus Christ.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Supporting Reference: Ephesians 2:8-9
3. THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD
Sin demands a perfect sacrifice; therefore, God became flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ (Jn 1:1-14; Php 2:1-11) to die in our place as the payment for sin. He arose to substantiate His claim as the Son of God and to complete the purchase of your eternal salvation. Salvation, therefore, is through Jesus Christ and must be received as a gift by believing in your heart that He died and arose to save you from your sins. Romans 10:9-13, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
Supporting Reference: 1John 5:11-13
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