March 24, 2015
A Better Payment Plan
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
If I work at McDonald’s, my wages, what I earn, will be in the minimum wage department. Likewise, what I earn for being a sinner is death. There is no overtime or extra credit for trying to do good things to make up for my evil thoughts and actions. And comparing myself to someone I think is more of a sinner isn’t helpful either; it’s still admitting I’m a sinner just not as bad as Manson or Hitler. Same as McDonald’s gives all its employees a paycheck, what all people earn for being a sinner, notorious or otherwise, is death.
But God, in his amazing and unheard of kindness, offers us a new payment system. If I worked at McDonald’s and the Ray Crock family offered me a new and more beneficial payment system not even based on my work performance I would take them up on it. Actually, it’s more like if the rich family of the company I worked for didn’t even require me to work anymore and still pay me. Easy money, right?
God decided that anyone who believes in Jesus will no longer be subject to the wage we are due - no longer on our way to earning eternal punishment and death. But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (Romans 3:21-22)
This message sounds like it’s for unbelievers, and it is. But I’m writing this to myself and to other Believers. The reason Romans 6:23 is such an important scripture is for us not to forget what we’ve come from. We deserve death for how we think and live. We can’t make up for our wrong behaviors still. The Good News is that God isn’t holding my sins against me anymore; it’s not that I don’t sin anymore. And I didn’t earn a better payment plan; I just heard about it and took God up on his offer. Remembering this keeps me humble, keeps me from treating Jesus casually like a peer, keeps me thankful and overwhelmed with joy in my heart that I’m never ever gonna get what I really deserve.
I don’t use this word often in conversation, but... HALLELUJAH!
Dear God,
I love you so much! I love what you’ve done for me! I’m so glad! SO GLAD! Thank you for forgiving my sins - still. I do seek to obey you and trust you everyday out of an incredibly thankful heart, and even those actions don’t keep me saved. YOU keep me saved because you love me, and I’m still wrapping my brain around that. Thank you so much! I love you and praise you for your Son who has saved me in every way a person could be saved, and I pray in his name, amen.
A Better Payment Plan
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
If I work at McDonald’s, my wages, what I earn, will be in the minimum wage department. Likewise, what I earn for being a sinner is death. There is no overtime or extra credit for trying to do good things to make up for my evil thoughts and actions. And comparing myself to someone I think is more of a sinner isn’t helpful either; it’s still admitting I’m a sinner just not as bad as Manson or Hitler. Same as McDonald’s gives all its employees a paycheck, what all people earn for being a sinner, notorious or otherwise, is death.
But God, in his amazing and unheard of kindness, offers us a new payment system. If I worked at McDonald’s and the Ray Crock family offered me a new and more beneficial payment system not even based on my work performance I would take them up on it. Actually, it’s more like if the rich family of the company I worked for didn’t even require me to work anymore and still pay me. Easy money, right?
God decided that anyone who believes in Jesus will no longer be subject to the wage we are due - no longer on our way to earning eternal punishment and death. But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (Romans 3:21-22)
This message sounds like it’s for unbelievers, and it is. But I’m writing this to myself and to other Believers. The reason Romans 6:23 is such an important scripture is for us not to forget what we’ve come from. We deserve death for how we think and live. We can’t make up for our wrong behaviors still. The Good News is that God isn’t holding my sins against me anymore; it’s not that I don’t sin anymore. And I didn’t earn a better payment plan; I just heard about it and took God up on his offer. Remembering this keeps me humble, keeps me from treating Jesus casually like a peer, keeps me thankful and overwhelmed with joy in my heart that I’m never ever gonna get what I really deserve.
I don’t use this word often in conversation, but... HALLELUJAH!
Dear God,
I love you so much! I love what you’ve done for me! I’m so glad! SO GLAD! Thank you for forgiving my sins - still. I do seek to obey you and trust you everyday out of an incredibly thankful heart, and even those actions don’t keep me saved. YOU keep me saved because you love me, and I’m still wrapping my brain around that. Thank you so much! I love you and praise you for your Son who has saved me in every way a person could be saved, and I pray in his name, amen.
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