“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The Christian is faced with decisions and choices. Most everyone is willing to agree; there’s sin in the world. The daily news makes this obvious. Headlines continue to report of mass shootings, criminals on the run, racism, political fighting, infidelity, and violence of all sorts. Police are being attacked, as well as attacking others. Who is supposed to keep the law? Scripture is not just saying, "There’s sin in the world", but rather "All Have Sinned!" It seems that all of us have this same need to point a finger at someone else.

I am also amazed how often people not only ignore God but resent Him. Even after He made man and said, "If you love me, obey my commandments." Mankind doesn’t only wander astray; they boldly goes against God’s laws. If nothing else, we see in the recent shootings there is evil in hearts of man. We raise our fists to God, and scream to the top of our lungs, "Who are you to tell me what to do? God it is my life. I can do what I want to do.”

While modern psychology may be right in drawing our attention to our addictions, it fails to deal with sin as it should. First, psychology tends to ignore the fact that addiction is a sin. Too often people who label their addiction as a disease fail to face sin in their lives. Jesus Christ is the only cure for our addiction to sin.  The “Twelve Step” programs seek to deal with addiction refer to a “higher power,” but they do not point to Jesus Christ and His power as the means of deliverance. When people define their higher power, they are creating their own god, not the God of the Bible.

Sin is bigger and more powerful than we are. Deliverance from sin does not come with man-made ways to mastering sin, but by a change in who is our master. I believe much of addiction is demonic or at least influenced by Satan. Only Jesus can conquer Satan and his wiles. Only in conversion and through the power of the Holy Spirit do we find deliverance.

 Paul not only tells it to us straight as to what the problem and its consequences but also gives us the remedy and the results. The gift of God is eternal life. Note that eternal life is not the payment of wages. A man cannot work to earn eternal life. It is the gift of God, and it is only through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I remember an object lesson regarding receiving salvation. Take out a bill from your wallet and offer it to a person but first put it in a book. Here is $5.00, but what must one do? Simply take it. The gift is eternal life through Jesus. The book would represent Jesus and by believing (receiving) Jesus the gift is given. The gift sits there unclaimed until it is received.

Pray to the Lord and give yourself to Him. Trust Jesus to save you by His death, burial and resurrection. Commit to obey and follow Him.

Eternal life is far more than heaven. It is a whole new way of living and a hope that continues to bring us into daily relationship with our living Lord.

Dale