Please let this verse penetrate your minds:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Ro 6:23 ESV
So how does this free gift become ours, now and forevermore? We receive it, but receiving is not a passive thing. Let’s go back to that example of my birthday from the other day. So I’m having this party and a friend brings me a free gift, which remember I do not have to jump through hoops to have because it is freely given. I take the gift in my hand and say thank you, but then I put it on a table and never open it. Is the gift mine? Yes. But do I enjoy it? Does it bless me or anyone else? You see, to truly receive a free gift, you have to open it up. You have to see what is inside the package. You have to actually use it to experience the blessing of this free gift. Are you getting the image?
Once we have surrendered our lives to Jesus as Lord, once we have received the Holy Spirit and this Eternal Life, we have to explore it, live in it, share it with others. Jesus and this Eternal Life is not meant to be put on a shelf, somewhere, for when we leave this world. We have to take off the old life and put on this New Life. I am sure we will get to that verse some time this year, but for now, understand if we truly want to receive this free gift, we have to interact with it…more tomorrow.
Join me in memorizing 52 verses this year:
January: 1- Jn 3:16; 2- 2Co 5:17; 3- Jas 2:26; 4- Eph 2:10
5- Jn 10:10
6- Ro 6:23
<>< Peace, Diane
