Free. Gift.
Romans 5 says these words not just once, but three times. They are referring to righteousness- a free gift.
I don’t know about you, but I feel pretty suspicious when I hear the words “free gift”. Ok, sure, it might not cost me any money, at least not right now, but you for sure want something from me. This is a marketing gimmick. You want to eventually sell me something once you gain my trust. You want me to make a $60 purchase first. You want me to go ahead and enter my credit card information so that, unless I remember to cancel my subscription before the trial period is over, I’ll be charged full price. (I probably will forget, so… well played.)
These suspicious thoughts come from an adult mind that is wary and somewhat jaded after 38 years of observing humanity and its ways. Life has taught us that getting something for nothing just doesn’t happen. There is no free lunch. Even as I was writing this, I thought, wait is righteousness really free?? It says it right there in front of me, yet I STILL need to be reminded. Maybe that’s one reason Jesus asked us to become like little children when we come to Him. “And he said, ‘Assuredly I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 18:3.
My children are still young enough that there isn’t a lot of guile in them. They take most things at face value, and they don’t always know when we’re just joking. If they asked to go to the moon and I said, “Sure, let’s go today!”, they would probably get really excited and go pack their suitcases. If I tell a child that I want to give them a free gift, they’re going to expect just that: a free gift. No strings attached. They might even wonder why I put the word “free” on there in the first place because a gift is a gift, right?
Throughout history, people have tried to earn righteousness. They’ve tried to do enough or be enough or appear to be enough to deserve it, but... that just isn’t how it works. And anyway, it’s impossible for us to earn it! I think it takes a certain amount of humility to realize that we can’t earn salvation, that we really don’t deserve it, and that Christ is willing to give it to us anyway for the simple reason that He loves us! Realizing our sinfulness is very important, but so is realizing the truth of grace and mercy. Understanding that actually changes us. Otherwise our own pride can get right between us and eternal life.
Years ago, I was at a small coffee shop in Walla Walla, WA. I’d bought a pasta salad and muffin or something for lunch, and I was about to pay for it when…. I realized that I didn’t have my wallet with me! It was embarrassing, plus I was really hungry. But then the barista said, “It’s ok. You can just have it. It’s on us.”
Wow. Free lunch. Or was it? Although I’ve spent years feeling grateful for that kindness, the coffee shop did have to absorb the cost of my mistake. My 10-years-later self could replace my feeling of gratitude with the knowledge that those kinds of things eventually trickle back down to me, the consumer. Womp, womp.
Great news, though! When God absorbs the cost of His incredible free gift to us, He’s big enough to totally handle it, and there literally are no downsides. We are absolutely free to be like little children and just get excited about the gift we’ve been given!
Psalm 136 that we’re reading today is all about praising the Lord for His mercy. While I read it, I’m going to think about the free gift of righteousness that I’m offered- an act of mercy if there ever was one! I’m going to pray that I may become as a little child and be able to accept that righteousness without holding back. I’m going to ask that I might be given opportunities to show other people that a free gift not only does exist, but that it’s ok to accept it without hesitation.
Lydia Dukaric
has been enjoying Oregon for over 5 years now. She loves the mountains, the rain, and her Hood View Church family.
The Word of Promise audio Bible is used by permission. For more information and to purchase the complete audio Bible go to https://www.wordofpromiseapp.com/.
Romans 5
Faith Triumphs in Trouble
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Christ in Our Place
6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Death in Adam, Life in Christ
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6
Dead to Sin, Alive to God
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Psalm 135
Praise to God in Creation and Redemption
A Song of Ascents.
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord!
2 You who stand in the house of the Lord,
In the courts of the house of our God,
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant.
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His special treasure.
5 For I know that the Lord is great,
And our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases He does,
In heaven and in earth,
In the seas and in all deep places.
7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain;
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.
8 He destroyed the firstborn of Egypt,
Both of man and beast.
9 He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt,
Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He defeated many nations
And slew mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,
Og king of Bashan,
And all the kingdoms of Canaan—
12 And gave their land as a heritage,
A heritage to Israel His people.
13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations.
14 For the Lord will judge His people,
And He will have compassion on His servants.
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel!
Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron!
20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi!
You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!
21 Blessed be the Lord out of Zion,
Who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the Lord!