How often have we read Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” And how many of us understand its implication and what it’s really saying to us.
When we read this verse, the first thing and the only thing we give any notice is, that the gift of God is for everyone to have everlasting life, that is those of us believing in his son Jesus Christ.
But have we ever stopped to think about why God is offering this gift of eternal life to everyone believing in his son Jesus Christ? And why only by believing Jesus Christ we can have this everlasting life?
God according to the bible is offering us eternal life because he has sentenced us to death. And it is because he has appointed a day for us to die this offer of eternal life is on the table.
God on account of the first man created has sentenced us to death because we are the children of a rebellious man. And because of one man, we are appointed to die, but God is offering us a gift, the gift of eternal life because of the sentence of death we are facing.
So, God is offering us the gift of eternal life because we are on our way to die. Each of us has a day appointed on which we will die. We are about to collect the wages we have earned through the first man, and how God decides to carry out that penalty is within the authority of God.
This is the complete message of the gospel, we are sentenced to death and because we are on our way to die, God through Jesus Christ is offering us the opportunity to enter eternal life.
With that said, why only Jesus, why is he the only way and access to God’s gift? Jesus is the only way because God has appointed him Lord over all the earth. Therefore, Jesus is accountable to God, and will according to the penalty judge the earth.
If we come to Jesus and ask for mercy, on account of his covenant death and blood, and the promise he made at his death, and the confirmation we have through his resurrection. Jesus will make the decision on our part to have access to his eternal life and kingdom to come.
God has given no other man on earth this authority and right to judge on his behalf and because of this truth, only Jesus can save us, only the judgment of Jesus will stand before God. No one else on earth has this authority given to Jesus Christ to judge on God’s behalf.
With God, there is judgment and wrath, but with Jesus, there is mercy on account of what he did on the cross. This is the offer of God through his Son. We are perishing, we are on our way to pay the penalty for sin, but will we have access to God’s gift to avoid this penalty? The wages of sin are death, but not because of sins committed today. Death came into the world because of sin, and despite your sins today and tomorrow we are sentenced to death, nevertheless, God is making us an offer through Christ.
