“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). We saw that “the wages of sin is death”—not will be death when we die—the second death—but it is death now—death to the real person, death to his person and his possibilities, death to all God’s plans for him, death to the inheritance of good he might have passed on to others, death to his influence—it is death here and now. On the other side, however, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Note that it is in Christ Jesus and not merely through Him. If it is merely through Him, then it is in Him, not in me. If it is in Christ Jesus, then if I put myself in Him, by surrender and faith it is in me, for I am in Him.
Note again “the free gift of God is eternal life”—not will be after death but is now. Those who are in Christ have eternal life, here and now, for in Him there is nothing but eternal life. The moment I put myself into Him I have eternal life whether I feel like it or not. Just as when two people stand up and pledge themselves to each other in marriage and are pronounced man and wife, then all the privileges and responsibilities are theirs the moment they put themselves in the marriage relationship, whether or not they feel like it.
You don’t have to be good enough or worthy of eternal life. It is the free gift of God. But it is not a free gift of God apart from being in Christ Jesus. The moment you are in Him you are worthy, for you are in worthiness. The soiled clothes might say, “I’m not worthy to be put into those suds—I’m unclean.” But being in the suds is the cleanness, is the worthiness.
THE PRAYER
O blessed Redeemer, Thou art my goodness, my worthiness, my all. In Thee I have perfect everything. Thy free gift creates the free gift spirit in me. Take my all as my free gift—and all I expect to be. In Thy name. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY
The free gift of God will invoke within me a free response—the response of my all.
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