"THE FREE GIFT"

The book of Romans is Paul's longest, most theological and most influential epistle.' In this book the righteousness of God is revealed as Paul discusses man's desperate need for righteousness, and how God made it possible for man to be righteous through His plan of justification and salvation.

In chapter five of Romans, Paul contrasts the effects of Adam and the effects of Jesus Christ on mankind. He begins by saying that we are justified by faith; and therefore, have peace with God, and not only that but also grace, hope and joy. We can rejoice, because God loved us so much that He died for us while we were sinners. Because of Jesus' love, we can be saved from wrath through Him. (5:1-11)

(Verse 12) - As a result of Adams's original sin of disobedience, which was a violation of the known Will of God, Sin was transmitted into the bloodstream of every man thereafter. This meant that every human born after Adam would be born with the Adamic nature, a tendency to sin and be evil. Sin entered this world by one man.

God, in His perfect, eternal love, knew that through the shedding of the pure blood of Jesus Christ, a manifestation of Himself in the flesh -the perfect sacrifice- He could atone for the sins of man. Because God is righteous, just and holy, the Sin of man had to be paid for. So, through the grace of God, now we can be recipients of the "free gift." (15,18) You see, we receive sin and death through Adam, but we receive grace and life through Jesus Christ. "The free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."

Therefore, the gift is yours, if you can believe that Christ is. (verse 18) 'The justification of life' for all people is potential; it becomes actualized in individuals as they believe in Christ and receive grace, life, and the gift of righteousness through Jesus Christ.

What is the free gift? The Greek translation of "free gift is 'charisma' which is grace or favor. Free gift refers to a gift of grace, a favor which one receives without merit of his own, referring here in this scripture to the gift of eternal life."

"We are all born into Adam's physical family-the family line that leads to certain death. All of us reap the results of Adam's sin. We have inherited his guilt, the tendency to sin, and God's punishment. Because of Jesus, however, we can trade judgment for forgiveness. We can trade our sin for Jesus' goodness. Jesus offers us the opportunity to be born into his spiritual family- the family line that begins with forgiveness and leads to eternal life. If we do nothing, we have death through Adam, but if we come to God by faith, we have life through Christ."'

We invite you to accept the "free gift" of salvation according to God's Word - Acts 2:38-which reads, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
The gift of the Holy Ghost is evidenced by speaking in tongues as God gives utterance. (Acts 2:4; Acts 1 -:43-46)

After which, the experience of Salvation is not over, but just beginning for the believer, because a life of holiness and sanctification is required by God in order for the believer to reap eternal life in glory with our Savior Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 12: 14; Romans 9: 18-23).

(Reprinted from 'The Christian Outlook Magazine', July/August 1998)

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