In Genesis 3:4 we read the story of the Satan tempting Eve into sin with what can arguably be called the greatest lie ever told “…Ye shall not surely die”. God created us and we were perfect. He provided us with the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, and it was his will that we would live forever. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve sinned in that they disobeyed God and as it states in the first part of Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death…”.
After sin came into this world we were all condemned to death and eternal damnation, but God did not abandon or give up on us. “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” (John 3: 16). This gift of eternal life is just that…a gift. Like all true gifts, it is freely given but it is up to us whether or not to accept this gift. The second part of Romans 6:23 says “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”.
So, since this is a free gift for us that has already been paid for by the blood of Christ, why do so many of us resist and fight against it? It is because even at the cost of our eternal life we still want to do things our way, even if our way constantly brings us sorrow and pain. Accepting God’s free gift means that we have to set aside confidence in ourselves. It means that money, sex and power have to now be subjugated to the will of God and for many of us that means the free gift of eternal salvation is just too expensive.
Does this sound as foolish to you as it does to me? Truly, is there anything in your life that is worth the price of eternal salvation? Revelation 21:4 tells us that “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”. Can there be any doubt that such a gift is worth any price? I pray that we all will accept this gift that God has so graciously provided us through the death of Christ on the Cross.
[wdi_feed id=”1″]