Great Promises of the Bible: Romans 6:23
Great Promises of the Bible:
Romans 6:23
Lt. Colonel Allen Satterlee
“For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Certainty of the Route
Driving from Portland, Maine to Miami, Florida exclusively on Interstate 95, dictates a drive through New Jersey. It is impossible to stay on that route and not go through the Garden State. It does not matter if a person loves or hates New Jersey, has ever been in it or ever intends to take up residence in it. The route goes through New Jersey each and every time it is driven without fail.
The Bible speaks often about what will happen if certain routes are taken. The results will not vary whether or not a person likes or loathes the results. Romans 6:23 clearly states two of these inevitable destinations because of two different routes: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Paul was outlining to the Romans the nature of life with and without God. The verse above is at the conclusion of one of the sections of proof. He chooses two military metaphors by way of illustration.
Wages
“The wages of sin is death,” he says. “Wages” was the pay due to a soldier in the military, his compensation for subjecting himself to military discipline, marching across the Roman Empire, eking out an existence in the desert or in a choking wilderness, rushing into battle at the
word of his commander. For this kind of service, the soldier was owed and guaranteed payment. Under Roman law, it could not be taken away or diverted. It was his.
Paul says that the person who disregards God and lives a life of sin has in a similar way labored with every effort for a payment, a wage. As the soldier marches steadfastly into battle, so the sinner moves resolutely for the payment that comes as a result of his decision. Death. It can be nothing else. This is not physical death but spiritual death – the eternal separation of a soul from God. The course of sin is a betrayal of God and His intention for that person. It represents a pitched battle of self against God. It may be done with a smile and a gentle voice, but the heart is in rebellion nonetheless. Without a full surrender that battle can end only one way.
We have some glimpse of this when the smoker develops lung cancer or the hard drinker develops cirrhosis of the liver. The previous behavior led to these results. Other behaviors don’t necessarily manifest themselves as clearly but the results are the same. Like the plaque that coats the veins and arteries, the work is slowly done, unseen and unnoticed until often it is too late.
Gift
Contrasting these wages is the gift of God – eternal life. As in the term for wages, the word for gift is a military term. The Greek word, charis, characterized unexpected gifts for which the soldier did not work. It was common for an emperor to share gifts when he celebrated his birthday, after a great military victory or upon taking the throne. Paul used this to describe the kindness and generosity of God toward those enlisted in His service.
There is a huge distinction between wages and gifts. Wages are owed but a true gift never is.
Trying to Buy what Can’t be Owned
Imagine after selling your home and all your possessions, going to your bank and cleaning out all your accounts and then driving with all that cash to the seashore. As you 
stand and take in the grandeur of the ocean you decide you want to “own” the ocean. Not beachfront property, not the sandy bottom but the ocean itself. Although you might take all your money and throw it into the ocean to pay the price, you would still not own one more drop than you did before squandering your wealth. If you tried to drain it and put it somewhere else you would find out quickly how impossible is the task. If you went to some government authority to negotiate the price of the ocean, you would find that they were as powerless as you to claim ownership. They might claim sovereignty a few miles from shore but that only constitutes what goes on in and on the ocean, not the ocean itself. They have no claim on the smallest fish or a single drop of water. It is free and that free is so expansive that money has no meaning.
When we speak of the grace of God we are talking about something so expansive that no calculation of its worth is adequate. Even if it was, it could not be owned by anyone. Throwing all your works into the ocean of grace will not buy you one share of it. It is the gift of God. It is unowed to anyone but available to all.
Eternal Life is Now
Like salt or water, eternal life is one of the ingredients of grace. It is mixed in there with a host of other things for the life yielded to Christ. That eternal life is not just something “out yonder”, but something that begins the moment a heart yields itself to the Lord. Eternal life breaks into the stream of time and lifts us to that which is timeless. It includes sharing in the divine nature, being sustained by the life of God, having all things – even those we deem terrible and painful – work for our good. Eternal life is part of our identity as well as our destiny. It is the promise that as deformed as sin may have made us, God is charting a course of correction that means we will be all that we were ever meant to be.
If your life ended with your next breath, what would it be? The wages of death? Or eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord?
Our Corporate Prayer
Dear loving Father, Thank You for the free gift of Your salvation. I acknowledge that with all my best efforts, I could never earn it. I have no hope without You. And even if I could have cobbled something together, it would it would not stand. But Your gift will last through eternity and will allow me to stand in Your presence, among Your saints and hear the angels' song. Thank You, dear God! Thank You for Jesus, my Savior! I want to praise You forever and ever! In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Our Worldwide Prayer Meeting
Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar & Thailand Territory
Reaching Out to Others
Take time this week to reach out to someone who is shut in or in a nursing home. If you can visit them, give that person an hour of your time. If not, send a meal or some flowers. Send a card or an old fashioned card or letter. Remember that you can break their isolation.
Notable Quotables
Through salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning, and out future is secured. - Rick Warren
This song is a proclamation: Jesus saves!
We would appreciate any feedback and/or suggestions on how to improve these devotionals. Please email comments to: [email protected] or by going to our website: https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/uss/spiritual-life-development.
We would love to hear from you.
Lt. Colonel Allen Satterlee
Territorial Spiritual Life Development Officer/THQ Chaplain
USA Southern Territory