Category Archives: Wages

Bible, Christ, Death, Eternal Life, Eternity, Gifts, Jesus, Scripture, Sin, Wages

WAGES VS GIFTS

ROMANS 6:23

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

Here we are again with another one of my Every Man A Warrior memory verses. We teach this verse to men to train them to share the gospel. Google “The Bridge Illustration” and you will find numerous examples. We use this verse because it spells out the Gospel so simply for anyone at any age. I actually have an App on my phone called “ShareYourFaith” which uses the Bridge Illustration also. Check it out.

Paul brings us to the end of chapter 6 (of course, there were no chapters in his letters) with this familiar verse. I want us to look at the key words of this verse today – wages, sin, death, gift, eternal life, Christ Jesus. And the biggest word in the verse is right in the middle – but. That word changes everything. Everything said in the first half of the verse is trumped by what is said in the second. But…a little word with big implications.

APPLICATION

“…the wages of sin is death,… We earn death (our wages) because of our sin. Since the fall of man in the garden of Eden, man has been held liable for their sins. The punishment for Adam’s disobedience was death, first a physical death. Then, if that sin was not atoned for, a spiritual death. Since Adam mankind has suffered these deaths. There is no way of escaping this punishment in and of ourselves. We cannot earn back our physical or spiritual life.

BUT… God had a plan from the foundation of the world. He knew what would happen in the garden. If He had not known, He would not be much of a God. And even though He knew the choice Eve and then Adam would make, He did not intervene to stop them. They had to decide on their own to obey Him. If He forced their obedience, they would rebel against that. You see, Jesus was not God’s plan B. He was always the plan.

“…the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” As Paul Harvey used to say, “Now, the rest of the story.” God gives us a gift. It cost us nothing. It’s free. We just have to accept it. What is that gift? Eternal life with Jesus. Hold on, Carl. What’s the catch? No catch. You see, that’s what causes so many to stumble. They are looking for the hook in this gift. God loves you so much that He sent His Son to die for you (John 3:16). If you haven’t accepted that gift yet, do it today. If you have, give Him praise for this inexhaustible gift that has brought billions of people into His kingdom. There is always room for one more.

This world doesn’t know how to accept free gifts. Thank You for giving so freely so I can live with You.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Justification, Reward, Scripture, Wages

WAGES DUE

ROMANS 4:4

“Now to the one who works, the wages are not credited as a favor, but as what is due.” 

It seems I have been working all my life. I had my first job mowing lawns in our neighborhood with my older brother. We got paid after each job. Then I got a job at a gas station where my brother worked and was assigned car washing duties. There I got paid once a week. Later own I had other part-time jobs and received my wages either weekly or biweekly. As I got older and started my ministry career, those paychecks became monthly. But at each and every job, I got paid for my work.

In today’s verse, Paul presents a fact that those who work deserve their wage. He is not saying that this applies to our salvation. He has stated very clearly in earlier verses that our justification is strictly on faith. He is simply giving an illustration that his readers could relate to. We’ll see the contrast in tomorrow’s verse. You don’t have to complicate this verse by trying to see a hidden meaning. Sometimes Paul just states the obvious.

APPLICATION

What we can take from this, however, is that we are not to try to earn our justification by any works we accomplish. Justification is not our wage for doing works. The Greek word for “wage” is misthos and can be translated as pay or reward. In Matthew 6:1, Jesus gives us a warning about our reward. “‘Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.’” I want my reward, don’t you?

At the conclusion of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, Jesus says this in verse 12, “‘Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great;…’” Isn’t that great news? But remember, it’s not for anything you’ve done. We receive a reward for trusting Him. We receive a reward for being His child. Will some receive more rewards than others? I think so. Some dear saint you have never heard of will receive that great reward for their loyalty and dedication even though they were never recognized here on earth.

Don’t think your position in church will gain you more. It won’t. Don’t think because you have more degrees than a thermometer (you’ll catch later), you will have a bigger reward. You won’t. Our wage, our reward that we will receive in glory will come only because the Father deems us worthy of it for placing our faith in Jesus and serving Him sacrificially. Let us work for Him daily but not do it to gain anything.

Father, I serve You and willingly do what You ask, knowing that You will reward me for my relationship, not my works.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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