Accepting the gift of salvation is about perspective. We all once shared a view of everything from worldly eyes. Whatever we once believed and how we lived our lives wasn’t through God’s perspective but ours. On the day we gave our lives to Jesus, we made a choice. We chose to stop seeing everything through our own eyes and, instead, to try and see them through God’s. 

The other day, I read this verse from Romans from a Bible translation I’m not familiar with and it gave me a better perspective on it than I previously had. 

For sin’s meager wages is death, but God’s lavish gift is life eternal, found in your union with our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.

Romans 6:23 (The Passion Translation) 

While I don’t recommend this translation, I do like some of the terms used in this verse of Romans because they increase my perspective on it. There’s nothing wrong with other translations of this verse, such as the King James.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23 (KJV)

Whenever I’ve thought about this verse, my conclusion has been that sin leads to death, and the cost of sinning is death. This is evident, even from Genesis when Adam and Eve sinned and animals were killed to make skins to cover them. The obvious expulsion from the Garden follows this and is, of course, a death. The gift of God, eternal life, is beyond all human comprehension. We have nothing to compare it to. 

However, there are other wages for sin. Otherwise, no one would sin, would they? What would be the point? This is why I like the descriptor here in TPT. “Meager wages” truly describe the “pleasures” derived from sin. Sin is always a manifestation of some desire we have in our flesh. Rage, lust, coveting, and gluttony are just a few terms to describe various ways in which sin acts out. When we sin, our flesh is temporarily satisfied. Satisfaction though can grow less each time we sin which leads to an increase in sinful behavior. It can also lead to other sinful behaviors as the darkness within us grows. Like the worst of drugs, sin is addicting. 

I’m reminded of King Solomon, who had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (cf. 1 Kings 11:3). I imagine that Solomon had an issue with lust that could only be satiated by having so many different women. However, Solomon also lusted for other things. Solomon had 12,000 horses and imported them from other countries. Silver was as common as stones and cedar as plentiful as sycamore trees (cf. 2 Chronicles 9:25-28). If you really want to see the extent of his wealth, you can read about it here. Despite having everything he wanted, Solomon had this to say about life.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

Ecclesiastes 1:2 (NIV)

Solomon had it all, and there would be many people today who would love to have had everything he had. Yet, nothing he had satisfied him. We’d never use the word “meager” to describe what Solomon had, would we? 

Solomon was about 60 years old when he died and had everything he wanted. The antithesis of the wages in Romans 6:23 is the gift of God. Eternal life through Christ. If we compare the two, there is no comparison. The wages or pleasures we receive from sin, even if they last a lifetime, are nothing compared to the gift of eternal life. This is a lavish gift compared to anything else.

When we compare our life here on earth to eternal life. We are changing our perspective and taking up God’s perspective. There are many people out there who have rich lives like Solomon. However, this life isn’t long compared to eternity. I’d say this is one reason why Jesus said it was hard for the rich to enter into Heaven. 

I’d rather have 200 years of being with the Lord where there’s no suffering, death, or heartache than a lifetime here on earth with everything the world has to offer. How about 500? 10,000? Eternity? It’s a no-brainer. 

Do you know God? God knows you, and He loves you. He sees you as significant because you are. No one is insignificant to Him. He’s with you today, right now, and He wants you to know Him. Jesus died for your sins and mine so we could be free of guilt, be freed from death, and live eternally with Him. Eternal salvation is just a prayer away. 

Pray this prayer with me to accept the gift of salvation today:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins. I repent from my ways. Wash me in your blood and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I believe that you died on the cross, were buried, and on the third day, God the Father raised you from the dead. Right now, Lord Jesus, I open the door to my heart, and I receive you into my heart as my Lord and personal Savior. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, then congratulations! You are on the first step of a brand new life. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to my family, the family of God. There are abundant resources available online for new Christians. You can visit here for more information on what to do next. You can also leave me a comment, and I’ll do my best to help you on the next step of this incredible journey.

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