Romans Part 3 - LIFESample

God’s Free Gift of Eternal Life

This well-known and beloved verse is not only a fitting conclusion to Romans 6:15-23, where Paul encourages the readers to take action regarding their union with Christ, it is the summary statement of all that Paul is trying to say in the first six chapters of Romans. There is no other way from sin to righteousness, from eternal death to eternal life. Only in the free gift of God, expressed in Jesus Christ, can people be saved.

Far from grace leading to sin, that leads to death; grace frees us from the power of sin and delivers us to be slaves to God. This has its benefits: abundant life now, and eternal life, later. It’s interesting that Paul speaks of eternal life as the free gift of God. By definition, a gift is free, but lest anyone underestimate the magnitude of God’s grace, Paul’s emphasis makes it clear. And the more we are electrified by the wonder of grace, the more we will pray, “Lord, make your grace amazing to my heart in a new and fresh way, Amen.”

-Norm Hudspeth