Free Gifts are NOT Free

Write From My Heart

August 16, 2020

Free Gifts are NOT Free

            As we approach the time of making decisions for the future direction of our nation, there are those who would entice your votes with the promise of free education, free health care, and various other assorted free things—all free to every person, citizen or not—just for the promise of your vote. Thankfully, those with common sense and level-headedness can see past the rouse to understand that the cost will be supplied by the taxpayers of our nation. The argument comes that “Oh no, all of this will be paid for by the government.” Of course reality is government gets its funds from taxpayers; therefore, it truly and most assuredly will be the taxpayers who will fund free education, free healthcare, etc. That, dear friends, is just the sad reality of the choices we face, so taxpayers, choose wisely!

            However, this is not the free gift I wanted to discuss today. If you recall, two days ago I made the statement: “If you desire to experience true joy of blessed hope, it is yours freely in Christ Jesus when you accept him as Lord and Savior.” I meant that, and I still stand by the foundation of that statement, but I do not in any way want to be misleading in the term “freely”.

Romans 6:23 (KJV)

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

Romans 6:23 (NIV)

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

Romans 6:23 (NLT)

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

            Even in the last version noted above (e.g., New Living Translation) the term “free gift” is used. My dear friends, the gift of salvation is NOT free; rather, it is perhaps the single most valuable and costly of all gifts ever given. You cannot earn it no matter how hard you may try. If you could earn it, it would cease to be a gift and it would become a wage. You cannot pay for it no matter how wealthy you may be. If you tried to pay for it, your remittance would be marked and returned “insufficient funds.” The only reason salvation, and hence the promise of eternal life, is a gift is because Jesus Christ already paid the cost for you! This is something you could not do for yourself. Not even your own life would be a sufficient sacrifice because humanity is marred with an inherently sinful nature. The cost to Christ was his own divinely perfect, sinless life. His life was the only acceptable sacrifice capable of paying for the sins of humanity. This is the only means whereby salvation can be offered to all those who are willing to accept this prepaid gift.

            No, not even the gift of salvation is free. It is costly. It is precious. Yet because of God’s amazing grace, it is a gift offered to you. But like all gifts, it isn’t yours until you accept it. You can’t earn it, you can’t pay for it, you can’t vote for it—you can only accept it!