Hey Clawson Family!

Song: 

Scripture:

Romans 6:23 New Living Translation

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

Devotional:

A person might readily accept that everyone is a sinner, that God loves us, and that Jesus died for us. But Romans 6 takes us deeper into the bad news to really help us understand how big of a deal the good news is.

When someone hears “the wages of sin is death,” they might ask, what does that mean exactly?  

The punishment for sin — all sin — is death. Much like a human court system has a standard of law that, if not kept, leads to punishment, God has a law, and there is punishment for not keeping it. So, Romans 3:23 gives us this understanding that we are all included in sinners' bad news; Romans 6:23 helps us understand our future/penalty because of the bad news. Worse news.

But then Romans 6:23 also includes the good news, which answers the bad news! That God freely gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ.

This aspect of the gospel allows you to know and share what Jesus did on the cross. He died in the sinner’s place. He paid the penalty for sin so the sinner wouldn’t have to. He gave His life so you could live. By “eternal life,” the Bible means that you don’t need to die and end up in hell forever. You don’t have to experience the judgment of God upon sin for all eternity. You can live in heaven with Him for all eternity after this life ends. You just have to understand that you have sinned; your penalty is death, but Christ can save you from that death. 

Journal:

Write in your journal some ways you have experienced the real-life “wages” of your sin drawing you away from God and into little “deaths”? How does remembering the gift of eternal life in Jesus compel you to be with Him today to experience the gift?

Training: 

Father in heaven, 

I acknowledge that the wages of sin in my life bring about death in many different forms. But I thank you that in Jesus Christ, I have eternal life here and now. Help me embrace the free gift in Jesus, not separating it from His presence, and dwell deeply with Him all day.