The Gift of God: “But the Gift of God Is Eternal Life”
Romans Road Series — Understanding Salvation as God’s Free Gift (KJV)
In Lesson 2, we saw the dreadful reality that “the wages of sin is death.” Sin pays a wage—a terrible, inescapable payment. But praise God, Romans 6:23 does not end with death. The verse continues:
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Those five words—“but the gift of God”—shine like a bright lighthouse in the midst of a dark storm. They announce hope, promise, and salvation to every sinner who stands condemned under the weight of sin.
This lesson will explore what it means that salvation is a gift, why God offers it freely, what eternal life truly is, and why Christ alone can give it. If you are a new believer, this truth will fill your heart with joy and strengthen your confidence in the Gospel.
The Contrast: Wages vs. Gift
Romans 6:23 is structured around a divinely inspired contrast:
| Wages | Gift |
|---|---|
| Earned | Freely given |
| Deserved | Undeserved |
| Payment | Provision |
| Sin | God |
| Death | Eternal life |
Man earns wages through his sin.
God gives a gift through His grace.
One is the result of human rebellion.
The other is the result of divine love.
This contrast is the very heart of the Gospel.
1. What Is a Gift?
A gift is something freely given, not purchased or earned.
If you pay for something, it is not a gift—it is a transaction.
If you work for something, it is not a gift—it is a wage.
If you deserve something, it is not a gift—it is a reward.
But salvation is none of these. The Bible is clear:
Ephesians 2:8–9
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
God did not save you because you earned it, because you were good enough, because you turned your life around, or because you did something deserving of His favor. Salvation is a gift.
Cross-Reference: Romans 5:15–18
Here Paul repeatedly uses the words gift, free gift, and grace, emphasizing that eternal life comes through the abundance of God’s favor—not the merit of man.
God requires no down payment.
He requires no installment plan.
He requires no labor before receiving it.
He requires no merit afterward to keep it.
It is a gift, offered freely.
2. Why Does God Offer Salvation as a Gift?
There are several reasons Scripture gives for why salvation must be a gift—and why it cannot be earned.
A. Because Our Works Are Insufficient
Even our very best efforts fall short of God’s glory.
Isaiah 64:6
“…all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…”
If the best we can produce is filthy, how could we ever earn salvation?
B. Because Salvation Requires Perfect Righteousness
Heaven demands holiness, and sin cannot enter there.
Revelation 21:27
“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth…”
We cannot produce perfect righteousness, so God gives it to us through Christ.
Philippians 3:9
“…not having mine own righteousness… but that which is through the faith of Christ…”
C. Because God Loves Us
Salvation is a gift because God’s heart is a heart of love.
Romans 5:8
“But God commendeth his love toward us…”
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave…”
Love gives.
Love sacrifices.
Love provides freely.
Salvation is a gift because God is love.
D. Because God Desires All to Be Saved
If salvation depended on human effort, few—or none—would attain it. But because it is a gift, anyone can receive it.
2 Peter 3:9
“…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
1 Timothy 2:4
“Who will have all men to be saved…”
3. What Is Eternal Life?
Romans 6:23 says the gift is eternal life. But many misunderstand what eternal life actually means.
Eternal life is not merely:
- Living forever
- Escaping hell
- Going to heaven
All souls live forever somewhere. Eternal life is something far richer and deeper.
A. Eternal Life Is Knowing God
John 17:3
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ…”
Eternal life is a restored relationship with God, made possible by Christ.
B. Eternal Life Begins Now
Eternal life does not begin when you go to heaven. It begins the moment you receive Christ.
John 5:24
“…He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
Not “will have,” but “hath.”
The believer already possesses it.
C. Eternal Life Is Secure
Because eternal life is a gift, it is not fragile.
What God gives cannot be taken back.
John 10:28
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish…”
If it could be lost, it wouldn’t be eternal.
D. Eternal Life Is Christ Himself
Eternal life is not a place—heaven is simply the home of eternal life. Eternal life is found in a Person.
1 John 5:11–12
“…God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”
Having Christ is having life.
Rejecting Christ is rejecting life.
4. The Gift Comes “Through Jesus Christ Our Lord”
Salvation is not offered through religion, ritual, goodness, or moral reform. It comes through Jesus Christ alone.
Acts 4:12
“Neither is there salvation in any other…”
John 14:6
“I am the way, the truth, and the life…”
Why is Christ the only way?
A. Because He Alone Lived a Sinless Life
1 Peter 2:22
“Who did no sin…”
He alone qualified to bear our sins.
B. Because He Alone Paid the Sin Debt
Romans 5:6
“…Christ died for the ungodly.”
2 Corinthians 5:21
“For he hath made him to be sin for us…”
Only Christ paid the wages of sin on our behalf.
C. Because He Rose From the Dead
A dead savior cannot give life.
A living Savior can give eternal life to all who believe.
Romans 4:25
“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
D. Because He Offers Salvation Freely
Christ does not offer a bargain, a loan, or a contract.
He offers a gift.
Revelation 22:17
“…whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
No charge.
No merit.
No qualifications—only faith.
Grace vs. Works — The Two Paths to Righteousness
Throughout the Bible, God reveals two paths men try to take toward righteousness:
- Works — man’s attempt to earn it
- Grace — God’s gift to the undeserving
These paths cannot be mixed.
Romans 11:6
“And if by grace, then is it no more of works…”
If you try to add works to grace, you destroy grace.
If you try to earn a gift, it ceases to be a gift.
Salvation must be wholly of grace or wholly of works.
Scripture is clear—God chose grace.
Common Misunderstandings About Salvation as a Gift
Many people misunderstand what it means for salvation to be a gift. Let’s address some of the most common misconceptions.
Misunderstanding #1: “I Must Clean Up My Life Before Receiving the Gift.”
Salvation is not for the righteous—it is for sinners.
Romans 5:6
“…in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Christ saves us as we are, not as we hope to become.
Misunderstanding #2: “I Must Work to Keep the Gift.”
If you have to maintain it by works, it is not a gift.
If God gives eternal life today but takes it back tomorrow, it was not eternal.
Galatians 3:3
“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
The God who saves you keeps you.
Misunderstanding #3: “Salvation Is a Partnership Between Me and God.”
Scripture never teaches this.
Christ did all the saving work.
Hebrews 1:3
“…when he had by himself purged our sins…”
By himself—not “with our help.”
Misunderstanding #4: “I Must Prove Myself Worthy of the Gift.”
If that were true, no one would ever receive it.
2 Timothy 1:9
“…not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace…”
Grace Produces Gratitude, Not License
Some accuse the doctrine of salvation as a free gift of encouraging sinful living. But Scripture teaches the opposite.
Grace does not give us permission to sin—it gives us power to overcome sin.
Titus 2:11–12
“…the grace of God… teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts…”
Grace leads to:
- Holiness
- Gratitude
- Service
- Surrender
- Love for Christ
We do not obey to earn salvation.
We obey because we are saved.
Good works do not produce salvation.
Salvation produces good works.
Ephesians 2:10
“For we are his workmanship… unto good works…”
Conclusion: The Greatest Gift Ever Given
Romans 6:23 takes us on a journey:
- From wages to gift
- From sin to God
- From death to eternal life
- From Adam to Christ
- From condemnation to salvation
It reminds us that we deserved the first half of the verse.
But we received the second half through God’s love and Christ’s sacrifice.
Salvation is:
- Free
- Full
- Final
- Forever
As a new believer, rejoice in this truth: you have received the greatest gift ever given—the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Discussion Questions
- What is the difference between a wage and a gift?
Why is this distinction essential for understanding salvation? - Why must salvation be a gift and not something earned?
Which Bible verses in this lesson help prove this? - How would you explain the meaning of “eternal life” to someone who thinks it only means living forever?
- Why is Jesus Christ the only One who can offer the gift of salvation?
- How does understanding grace change the way you view good works?
What role do works play after salvation? - Which of the cross-references in this lesson helped you appreciate God’s gift more deeply?
- How can misunderstanding salvation as a gift lead to discouragement or false doctrine?
- Take time to reflect: What does the gift of eternal life mean to you personally?
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