THE WAGES OF SIN AND THE GIFT OF GOD

Passage: Romans 6:19-23

Key verse: 23

NIV

19 I am using an example from everyday life(A) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness(B) leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin,(C) you were free from the control of righteousness.(D) 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!(E) 22 But now that you have been set free from sin(F) and have become slaves of God,(G) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.(H) 23 For the wages of sin is death,(I) but the gift of God is eternal life(J) in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Footnotes
  1. Romans 6:23 Or through
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

19 (A)I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For (B)just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members (C)as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

20 (D)For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 (E)But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things (F)of which you are now ashamed? (G)For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you (H)have been set free from sin and (I)have become slaves of God, (J)the fruit you get leads to sanctification and (K)its end, eternal life. 23 (L)For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. The results of living naturally (19a,2

,21,23a)

When we lived naturally, without God, we thought we were free--and we were free from the control of righteousness. But actually we were slaves to our feelings and desires. And what benefit did we receive from this taskmaster? We grew in impurity and wickedness, and did things of which we are now ashamed. We were destined to receive the wages we earned, death.

2. The benefits of being God's slave (22,23b)

We were bought by Jesus' blood and set free from the demanding taskmaster, sin; now we belong to God. Most of us are a long way from being holy. But just as we once became more and more deeply entangled in our sinful habits, so now we can grow in holiness, in closeness to God. The benefit we reap as slaves to God is holiness. We receive eternal life and the kingdom of God as a gift.

Prayer: Lord, help me to throw off the shackles of sin today. Help me to grow in Jesus' character, and to walk with you more closely each day.

One Word: The gift of God is eternal life