Word of life - Rom 6:23

Word of life: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 6:23 NKJ /New King James Version 1982/)

Studying this verse from God’s Word, let us focus on two principal questions:

1)      Which truth (word) is emphasized in this verse?

2)      What connection does it have with other verses of this chapter?

Ad 1) The emphasis is placed on the contrast: sin and death on the one hand and Jesus and eternal life on the other. Man avoids this reality. Before committing a sin he does not associate sin with death or with painful experience but only with cheap transient pleasure. He has a false view and does not want to admit to himself the consequence of sin, which is remorse, shame, fear, fleeing from God, rebellion, casting the blame on others, obstinacy. In relation to others, sin is the cause of offence, grief or suffering. The consequence of sin in relation to God is the loss of intimate communion with Him.

An example today is legalization of the sin of homosexuality. Its end is slavery to an unclean demon and fatal AIDS. The EU and UN representatives propagate homosexuality by all means but consciously keep silent on the fateful consequences.

Such principle applies to other sins too, e.g. thefts, frauds, drug abuse, alcoholism...

Another extreme is that man wants to overcome the sin by his own powers, without Jesus. Seeing his failure to do so, he begins to be discouraged and view Christianity as mere bothersome moralizing and too heavy a burden. A false way out is suggestively proposed to him in modern psychologies or modern heretical theologies which say that sin does not exist in principle. This is how one can distinguish living Christianity from dead one. Dead Christianity does not have Jesus. Either it just lays burdens (moralizing and legalism), or it legalizes and hence denies sin. Jesus said: “The world’s sin is unbelief in Me.” This is the root of every sin. Therefore the victory over sin lies solely in entering by faith into Jesus’ presence and into communion with Him.

Ad 2) There is a link between verse 23 and verse 11. It also speaks about the victory over sin. We know from experience that more often than not it does not work. Why? Because we forget the essential truth which is expressed by the words: “…in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nowhere else! The parallel between sin and death is used in several places in chapter 6. Find them.

Practical application of the verse Rom 6:23: Imagine that you now stand before the judgement seat of God. In front of you there is a large screen which projects all sins of your life. And above the screen you can read the words: The wages of sin is death. Behind the screen there is the way of sin leading to the bottomless abyss. All mankind is behind you, angels are on your right, demons on your left. Further away from the screen there is a large cross and Jesus crucified. There you can read: But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. With the sentence of death you go under the cross and give your sins to Jesus with faith. The expression of faith is in the word “but” and in your decision to receive Jesus as your Saviour again. And this is the meaning of Christmas. Through genuine repentance Jesus is born anew in your soul and you can truly say: Christ is born!