Romans 6:23
Verse
Context
Sermons
Paul Washer
Kathryn Kuhlman
Keith Daniel
Derek Prince
Warren Wiersbe
Watchman Nee
Alan RedpathSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
For the wages of sin is death - The second death, everlasting perdition. Every sinner earns this by long, sore, and painful service. O! what pains do men take to get to hell! Early and late they toil at sin; and would not Divine justice be in their debt, if it did not pay them their due wages? But the gift of God is eternal life - A man may Merit hell, but he cannot Merit heaven. The apostle does not say that the wages of righteousness is eternal life: no, but that this eternal life, even to the righteous, is το χαρισμα του Θεου, The gracious Gift of God. And even this gracious gift comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. He alone has procured it; and it is given to all those who find redemption in his blood. A sinner goes to hell because he deserves it; a righteous man goes to heaven because Christ has died for him, and communicated that grace by which his sin is pardoned and his soul made holy. The word οψωνια, which we here render wages, signified the daily pay of a Roman soldier. So every sinner has a daily pay, and this pay is death; he has misery because he sins. Sin constitutes hell; the sinner has a hell in his own bosom; all is confusion and disorder where God does not reign: every indulgence of sinful passions increases the disorder, and consequently the misery of a sinner. If men were as much in earnest to get their souls saved as they are to prepare them for perdition, heaven would be highly peopled, and devils would be their own companions. And will not the living lay this to heart? 1. In the preceding chapter we see the connection that subsists between the doctrines of the Gospel and the practice of Christianity. A doctrine is a teaching, instruction, or information concerning some truth that is to be believed, as essential to our salvation. But all teaching that comes from God, necessarily leads to him. That Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification, is a glorious doctrine of the Gospel. But this is of no use to him who does not die to sin, rise in the likeness of his resurrection, and walk in newness of life: this is the use that should be made of the doctrine. Every doctrine has its use, and the use of it consists in the practice founded on it. We hear there is a free pardon - we go to God and receive it; we hear that we may be made holy - we apply for the sanctifying Spirit; we hear there is a heaven of glory, into which the righteous alone shall enter - we watch and pray, believe, love, and obey, in order that, when he doth appear, we may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless. Those are the doctrines; these are the uses or practice founded on those doctrines. 2. It is strange that there should be found a person believing the whole Gospel system, and yet living in sin! Salvation From Sin is the long-continued sound, as it is the spirit and design, of the Gospel. Our Christian name, our baptismal covenant, our profession of faith in Christ, and avowed belief in his word, all call us to this: can it be said that we have any louder calls than these? Our self-interest, as it respects the happiness of a godly life, and the glories of eternal blessedness; the pains and wretchedness of a life of sin, leading to the worm that never dies and the fire that is not quenched; second most powerfully the above calls. Reader, lay these things to heart, and: answer this question to God; How shall I escape, if I neglect so great salvation? And then, as thy conscience shall answer, let thy mind and thy hands begin to act.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through--"in" Jesus Christ our Lord--This concluding verse--as pointed as it is brief--contains the marrow, the most fine gold, of the Gospel. As the laborer is worthy of his hire, and feels it to be his due--his own of right--so is death the due of sin, the wages the sinner has well wrought for, his own. But "eternal life" is in no sense or degree the wages of our righteousness; we do nothing whatever to earn or become entitled to it, and never can: it is therefore, in the most absolute sense, "THE GIFT OF GOD." Grace reigns in the bestowal of it in every case, and that "in Jesus Christ our Lord," as the righteous Channel of it. In view of this, who that hath tasted that the Lord is gracious can refrain from saying, "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen!" (Rev 1:5-6). Note, (1) As the most effectual refutation of the oft-repeated calumny, that the doctrine of Salvation by grace encourages to continue in sin, is the holy life of those who profess it, let such ever feel that the highest service they can render to that Grace which is all their hope, is to "yield themselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and their members instruments of righteousness unto God" (Rom 6:12-13). By so doing they will "put to silence the ignorance of foolish men," secure their own peace, carry out the end of their calling, and give substantial glory to Him that loved them. (2) The fundamental principle of Gospel obedience is as original as it is divinely rational; that "we are set free from the law in order to keep it, and are brought graciously under servitude to the law in order to be free" (Rom 6:14-15, Rom 6:18). So long as we know no principle of obedience but the terrors of the law, which condemns all the breakers of it, and knows nothing whatever of grace, either to pardon the guilty or to purify the stained, we are shut up under a moral impossibility of genuine and acceptable obedience: whereas when Grace lifts us out of this state, and through union to a righteous Surety, brings us into a state of conscious reconciliation, and loving surrender of heart to a God of salvation, we immediately feel the glorious liberty to be holy, and the assurance that "Sin shall not have dominion over us" is as sweet to our renewed tastes and aspirations as the ground of it is felt to be firm, "because we are not under the Law, but under Grace." (3) As this most momentous of all transitions in the history of a man is wholly of God's free grace, the change should never be thought, spoken, or written of but with lively thanksgiving to Him who so loved us (Rom 6:17). (4) Christians, in the service of God, should emulate their former selves in the zeal and steadiness with which they served sin, and the length to which they went in it (Rom 6:19). (5) To stimulate this holy rivalry, let us often "look back to the rock whence we were hewn, the hole of the pit whence we were digged," in search of the enduring advantages and permanent satisfactions which the service of Sin yielded; and when we find to our "shame" only gall and wormwood, let us follow a godless life to its proper "end," until, finding ourselves in the territories of "death," we are fain to hasten back to survey the service of Righteousness, that new Master of all believers, and find Him leading us sweetly into abiding "holiness," and landing us at length in "everlasting life" (Rom 6:20-22). (6) Death and life are before all men who hear the Gospel: the one, the natural issue and proper reward of sin; the other, the absolutely free "GIFT OF GOD" to sinners, "in Jesus Christ our Lord." And as the one is the conscious sense of the hopeless loss of all blissful existence, so the other is the conscious possession and enjoyment of all that constitutes a rational creature's highest "life" for evermore (Rom 6:23). Ye that read or hear these words, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live!" (Deu 30:19). Next: Romans Chapter 7
John Gill Bible Commentary
For the wages of sin is death,.... By sin, is meant every sin, original sin, actual sin, every kind of sin, lesser and greater: the "death" which sin deserves, is a corporeal death; which is not owing to the original nature and constitution of men; nor merely to the divine appointment; but to sin, and the decree of God, on account of it; which is inflicted on Christless sinners, as a punishment for sin, though not on believers as such, because Christ has took away the sting and curse of it: a death of diseases and afflictions also follows upon sin, as its proper demerit; which are properly punishments to wicked men, and are occasioned by sin in believers: there is a death of the soul, which comes by sin, which lies in an alienation from God, in a loss of the image of God, and in a servitude to sin; and there is an eternal death, the just wages of sin, which lies in a separation of soul and body from God, and in a sense of divine wrath to all eternity; and which is here meant, as is clear from its antithesis, "eternal life", in the next clause. Now this is "the wages" of sin; sin does in its own nature produce it, and excludes from life; it is the natural issue of it; sin is committed against an infinite God, and righteously deserves such a death; it is its just wages by law. The Greek word signifies soldiers' wages; see Luk 3:14 and in "At which time Simon rose up, and fought for his nation, and spent much of his own substance, and armed the valiant men of his nation and gave them wages,'' (1 Maccabees 14:32) Sin is represented as a king, a mighty monarch, a tyrannical prince; sinners are his subjects and vassals, his servants and soldiers, who fight under him, and for him, and all the wages they must expect from him is death. So the word is interpreted in the Glossary, , "soldiers' wages"; and so it is used by the Jewish writers, being adopted into their language; of a king, they say (a), that he should not multiply to himself gold and silver more than to pay which they (b) interpret by , "the hire of armies", or the wages of soldiers for a whole year, who go in and out with him all the year; so that it denotes wages due, and paid after a campaign is ended, and service is over; and, as here used, suggests, that when men have been all their days in the service of sin, and have fought under the banners of it, the wages they will earn, and the reward that will be given them, will be death: and it is frequently observed by the Jewish doctors (c), that , "there is no death without sin": sin is the cause of death, and death the fruit and effect of sin: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. These words, at first sight, look as if the sense of them was, that eternal life is the gift of God through Christ, which is a great and glorious truth of the Gospel; but their standing in opposition to the preceding words require another sense, namely, that God's gift of grace issues in eternal life, through Christ: wherefore by "the gift of God" is not meant eternal life, but either the gift of a justifying righteousness, or the grace of God in regeneration and sanctification, or both, which issue in eternal life; the one is the saints' right and title, the other their meetness for it: so that as death is the wages of sin, and is what that issues in, and brings unto, eternal life is the effect of grace, or what the grace of God in justifying and sanctifying his people issues in; even a life free from all sorrow and imperfection; a life of the utmost perfection and pleasure, and which will last for ever: and as the grace of God, which justifies and sanctifies them, is "through Christ", so is the eternal life itself which it brings unto: this is in Christ, comes through his righteousness, sufferings, and death; is bestowed by him, and will greatly consist in the enjoyment of him. All grace is the gift of God, and is freely given, or otherwise it would not be grace; particularly the justifying righteousness of Christ is the gift of God; and the rather this may be meant here, since the apostle had been treating of it so largely before, and had so often, in the preceding chapter, called it the gift of righteousness, the free gift, and gift by grace, and justification by it, the justification of life, because it entitles to eternal life, as here: it may be said to issue in it; for between justification and glorification there is a sure and close connection; they that are justified by the righteousness of Christ, are certainly glorified, or enjoy eternal life; and though this may be principally intended here, yet is not to be understood to the exclusion of other gifts of grace, which have the same connection and issue: thus, for instance, faith is the gift of God, and not of a man's self, and he that has it, has eternal life, and shall, Or ever possess it; repentance is a free grace gift, it is a grant from the Lord, and it is unto life and salvation; and on whomsoever the grace of God is bestowed, so as to believe in Christ for righteousness, and truly repent of sin, these shall partake of eternal glory. It may be observed, that there is a just proportion between sin, and the wages of it, yet there is none between eternal life, and the obedience of men; and therefore though the apostle had been pressing so much obedience to God, and to righteousness, he does not make eternal life to be the fruit and effect of obedience, but of the gift of the grace of God. (a) Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 4. (b) Jarchi & Bartenora in ib. Vid. Cohen de Lara, Ir. David, p. 17. (c) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 55. 1. Vajikra Rabba, parash. 37. fol. 176. 3. Midrash Kohelet, fol. 70. 4. Zohar in Gen. fol. 44. 4. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 115. 1. Next: Romans Chapter 7
Romans 6:23
The Wages of Sin
22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Offer Your Bodies a Living Sacrifice
By Paul Washer16K57:14SacrificeROM 3:23ROM 6:23ROM 8:1ROM 12:1EPH 4:1In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the radical depravity and evil nature of mankind, highlighting that there is no hope for self-righteousness. The first 11 chapters of the book of Romans are discussed, where Paul presents the theology of God, Christ, and man's sinful state. The preacher emphasizes that after understanding the great things God has done for humanity through Christ, believers should respond by giving their lives away for Him. The motivation for the Christian life is rooted in the knowledge of what God has done for us in Christ.
Free to Do
By Kathryn Kuhlman12K10:52FreedomPSA 62:1MAT 16:24JHN 15:5ACT 17:28ROM 6:231CO 6:19GAL 2:20In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing and accepting God as the ultimate authority in our lives. He compares the disciplined self to an aviator who must obey the laws of aviation at all times to avoid disaster. The speaker also highlights the need for a deep connection with God, stating that we do not all have our being in Him until we accept His Son as our Savior. He emphasizes that life is restless and disruptive until we submit to something beyond ourselves and obey it supremely. The central message is that self-discipline and surrendering to God's will are necessary for true freedom and abundant life.
A Warning to American Christianity
By Keith Daniel12K1:15:45WarningPSA 119:105MAT 7:21MAT 24:35JHN 3:3ROM 6:23EPH 6:101PE 5:8In this sermon, the preacher passionately emphasizes the importance of preaching the truth of God's word. He condemns liberal theologians who shy away from preaching about hell and judgment, stating that they will be held accountable for leading people astray. The preacher also criticizes the use of worldly music in churches, arguing that it does not align with the purpose of worship and can lead to a compromised faith. He calls for a return to the heritage of beautiful hymns and a rejection of entertainment-focused language and practices in the church.
The New Birth - Part 2
By Derek Prince9.9K28:46New BirthMAT 6:33JHN 14:26ROM 6:232CO 5:17GAL 2:20PHP 4:131JN 5:12In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of having the Son of God in one's life. He explains that according to the New Testament, becoming a Christian and receiving eternal life is through accepting Jesus as one's Savior. The preacher highlights Romans 6:23, which states that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. He clarifies that this gift of eternal life is found in Jesus Christ, and it is received through faith in His resurrection life. The preacher also emphasizes that Jesus came to give abundant life, contrasting this with the thief (the devil) who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. He concludes by urging listeners to open their hearts and receive Jesus as their personal Savior for eternal life.
How Much Is Your-Bible Worth?
By Warren Wiersbe9.7K45:51ScripturesPSA 119:1PSA 119:9PSA 119:45PSA 119:50PSA 119:165ROM 6:23ROM 15:4In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of treasuring and prioritizing the Word of God. He shares personal anecdotes about the challenges of waking up in the morning and relates it to the need for spiritual discipline. The speaker discusses the concept of watches in the night and how the psalmist meditates on God's word during these times. He warns against the temptation of worldly possessions and shares examples from the Bible, such as Achan and Saul, who prioritized spoil over God's word and suffered consequences. The speaker encourages listeners to value the Word of God above all else, as it provides guidance and freedom in life.
Body in Christ (Reading)
By Watchman Nee9.3K27:16MAT 6:33JHN 3:3ROM 6:23ROM 8:1GAL 2:20In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that the preaching of the word of God is not something new, but a revelation of what has already been given. The speaker highlights the importance of understanding that through faith in Christ, there is no need to repeat the struggles and willpower displayed in Romans 7. Instead, by trusting in God and allowing Him to act, believers can enter into a different law, the law of the spirit of life. The sermon also emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in imparting the blessings and grace that God has provided through Jesus Christ.
Abundant Life
By Alan Redpath8.1K34:57Abundant LifeMAT 6:33JHN 3:16JHN 10:10JHN 14:6ROM 6:23EPH 6:121JN 5:12In this sermon, the speaker shares two personal stories to illustrate the importance of belief and commitment. The first story is about a football game where the speaker successfully kicks a goal, but a gust of wind causes the ball to miss. This is used as a metaphor for how the enemy (Satan) deceives and exhausts people, offering them glamorous but ultimately destructive things. However, the risen Lord offers abundant life as an alternative. The second story is about a man fishing in a lock, but when asked what he is doing with the fish, he simply replies "and round." This story is used to emphasize the need for belief and commitment to God, rather than being caught up in meaningless pursuits.
Pure Heart and Pure Church
By Leonard Ravenhill7.2K1:21:42PurityPSA 51:10ISA 53:5MAT 6:33ROM 6:23REV 1:17In this sermon, the preacher reflects on the state of the church and individuals who are filled with carnality, pride, anger, and secret lust. He emphasizes the need for restoration and the role of God in bringing back joy and healing. The preacher shares personal experiences of starting churches with no resources and relying on prayer and faith. He also highlights the power of hymns and the impact of conviction and repentance in transforming lives. The sermon concludes with a critique of superficial preaching and a call for genuine transformation in the lives of believers.
A Message for Reformed Christian Rappers
By Paul Washer6.9K54:30RappingMAT 6:33JHN 3:16ROM 3:23ROM 6:232CO 5:171PE 1:151JN 2:6In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of the gospel message in scripture. He highlights the need to disciple lost people and shares an example of a man who was on the verge of death and desperately seeking salvation. The preacher challenges the common approach of leading people through a series of steps and instead emphasizes the power of preaching the gospel and calling for repentance and belief. He shares how he spent hours with the dying man, going through scripture and praying until the man finally understood and accepted the message of salvation.
Normal Christian Life Ch 8
By Watchman Nee6.7K28:00MAT 6:33ACT 2:33ACT 2:36ROM 6:23ROM 8:11PHP 2:91JN 5:14In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of repentance and baptism as conditions for receiving forgiveness of sins. Repentance is described as a change of mind, where one's perspective on sin and the world is transformed. Baptism is seen as the second condition for forgiveness. The sermon also highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in the Christian experience, emphasizing that the Spirit is given by God as a gift and is essential for true conversion. The preacher references verses from Romans to support these teachings and also shares the personal experiences of Charles Finney and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in his life.
(Poland) Jesus Loves Sinners
By David Wilkerson6.4K48:43SinnersMAT 5:28LUK 15:11ROM 6:231CO 7:10HEB 10:26HEB 13:5JAS 1:27In this sermon, the preacher shares powerful testimonies of individuals who were living on the streets and trapped in addiction. Through the love of Jesus Christ, they experienced miraculous transformations. One couple, Mary and James, were hopeless and living like animals, but after encountering God's love, they gave their hearts to Christ. James, who could hardly speak, had his mind restored by God and even taught himself Greek. Mary, who was once emaciated, regained her health and became a changed woman. These testimonies serve as a reminder that Jesus loves sinners and can bring about incredible change in their lives.
Man's Ruin and God's Remedy
By Oswald J. Smith5.7K18:49Depravity Of ManISA 53:6MAT 6:33JHN 1:12JHN 3:16ACT 4:12ROM 3:23ROM 6:23In this sermon, the preacher focuses on Isaiah 53:6, which states that all people have gone astray like sheep and turned to their own ways. However, the Lord has laid the iniquity of everyone on Jesus Christ. The preacher emphasizes the importance of accepting what God has done and receiving Jesus Christ as one's personal Savior. He refers to John 1:12, which states that those who receive Jesus are given the power to become children of God. The preacher shares his personal experience of accepting Jesus at a young age and encourages the audience to open their hearts to Jesus and be saved for eternity.
(John - Part 48): A Proper Concept of God
By A.W. Tozer5.5K54:16ExpositionalMAT 6:33JHN 1:1JHN 8:11ACT 17:23ROM 3:23ROM 6:23HEB 4:15In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of leisure and how it affects our ability to learn and grow spiritually. He acknowledges that Americans have more leisure time than anyone else in the world due to the convenience of modern gadgets. However, he emphasizes that even with this leisure, Americans still do not have enough time to truly engage in deep learning. The preacher suggests that God knew this and therefore brought salvation down to a level that is accessible to all, regardless of their level of education or leisure. He uses examples from nature and personal experiences to illustrate the idea that God's message is not limited to the learned, but is available to all who are willing to trust in Him.
Choices, Deeds & Consequences
By A.W. Tozer5.5K42:40ConsequencesDEU 30:19PRO 14:12MAT 7:13JHN 14:6ACT 2:38ROM 6:231JN 5:12In this sermon, the preacher tells the story of a man who was focused on his own wealth and success. Despite his plans for remodeling and his abundance of grain, the man suddenly falls ill and dies. The preacher emphasizes the importance of considering one's choices and their consequences, both in the past and for the future. He urges the audience to prioritize moral considerations and to listen to the voice of God, who calls us to examine our ways.
The Voice of Jesus Blood
By A.W. Tozer5.1K40:09Jesus BloodGEN 4:10MAT 6:33ROM 6:23ROM 12:1GAL 2:20HEB 10:29HEB 12:24The sermon transcript discusses various topics, including the consequences of breaking rules and the importance of having plans for the future. It also highlights the transformation of a native Christian who was once a pagan worshiping idols. The sermon emphasizes the significance of blood and the killing of a man made in God's image, calling for repentance and a revival to save the continent from destruction. The transcript concludes by stating that God became flesh to address the blood-stained world and find a solution for the sins committed against humanity.
They Have Done Away With the Cross
By David Wilkerson5.1K51:39MAT 6:33JHN 10:1JHN 14:6ROM 6:231CO 1:18GAL 6:141JN 1:9In this sermon, the speaker addresses the rise of a new generation of ministers who are focused on building large complexes that offer various amenities and entertainment. While these ministers may be intelligent and capable, their emphasis on non-threatening, contemporary approaches and coping with life's problems does not align with the heart of God. The speaker emphasizes that God's patience with such approaches should not be mistaken for approval. The core message of the sermon is that salvation and entry into heaven can only be attained through Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the cross. The speaker highlights the sin-sick state of society and the invitation of Jesus to find rest and freedom from the chains of sin.
Powerful Convicting Sermon - Hell Fire
By Charles Lawson4.3K27:10MAT 5:22MAT 5:29LUK 16:23JHN 3:16JHN 14:6ACT 4:12ROM 6:23HEB 12:29REV 20:15
This sermon emphasizes the reality of hell as described in Matthew chapter 5, focusing on the urgency of understanding its existence and the need for salvation through Jesus Christ to avoid eternal damnation. The preacher highlights the seriousness of hell, the consequences of rejecting Christ, and the eternal separation from God that awaits those who do not accept Him as their Savior.
Compel Them to Come In
By C.H. Spurgeon4.1K51:06GEN 3:6MAT 11:28LUK 14:21ACT 16:31ROM 6:23HEB 10:31The sermon transcript begins with a warning to sinners, emphasizing the shortness and fragility of life. The speaker highlights the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in order for God to pardon sin and urges listeners to believe in Him for salvation. The message is given out of love and earnest concern for the souls of the listeners. The speaker acknowledges the need to compel those who have not yet come to faith, expressing a sense of duty to find and persuade them to accept the message of salvation.
(First Baptist Church) #6 - Complete Commitment
By J. Edwin Orr4.0K1:26:27CommitmentMAT 6:33ROM 1:8ROM 3:23ROM 6:1ROM 6:23ROM 7:7ROM 12:1In this sermon, the speaker discusses the subject of the first three chapters of the Bible, focusing on man's need and the guilt of sin. He mentions a black preacher who emphasized the need for justice, mercy, and forgiveness in relation to sin. The speaker also talks about the importance of repentance, conscience, conviction, and confession for believers. He emphasizes the need for believers to be set apart for God and presents the idea of presenting one's body as a living sacrifice to God.
All Authority
By F.J. Huegel3.9K47:22MAT 28:18MRK 11:24ROM 6:23ROM 8:37EPH 6:12REV 12:10In this sermon, the speaker recounts the story of General Wainwright, who was a dying man in a concentration camp. One day, a colonel from the Allied forces arrived in a little plane to deliver the news that the Japanese had been defeated and peace had been signed. This news revived General Wainwright, and he was able to get up on his feet again. The speaker then goes on to talk about the authority of the believer and how the victory of Jesus on the cross gives believers the power to overcome the darkness of the world. He shares an illustration of a missionary student in Costa Rica who experienced a transformation in a prison after realizing his authority in Christ. The speaker emphasizes that many Christians have yet to fully grasp this truth and encourages them to stand against the devil's schemes.
The Greatest Story Ever Told
By Oswald J. Smith3.6K19:19GospelMAT 6:33JHN 1:1ROM 6:231PE 2:24In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that salvation starts with God, not with man. God's love for the world led Him to give His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for the sins of humanity. This act of love and sacrifice is the greatest story ever told. The preacher also references the story of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness as a parallel to Jesus being lifted up on the cross, offering salvation to all who believe in Him.
The Fear of the Lord Is Wisdom (Basis for Missions - Part 4)
By Paris Reidhead3.6K49:37MissionsMAT 22:37MAT 28:19ACT 2:41ROM 3:10ROM 3:23ROM 6:23ROM 10:14In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's commandments and the need to fulfill the Great Commission. He highlights the lack of burden for the world and the absence of fear of God among believers. The speaker shares a personal encounter with a young man who lacked understanding of mission and declined an opportunity to minister in the field. He also recounts a story of a woman who misunderstood the concept of salvation and the speaker's efforts to guide her. The sermon emphasizes the need for genuine mission work and the importance of using our time, talent, and money for God's purposes.
Where Does It Lie
By A.W. Tozer3.6K42:36Christian LifeISA 1:2ISA 2:22MAT 16:24JHN 14:15ROM 3:23ROM 6:232TI 3:16In this sermon, the speaker uses a metaphor of a ship carrying valuable cargo to illustrate the dangers of being led astray by false teachings and sinful behaviors. He emphasizes the importance of staying true to the word of God and not being swayed by worldly influences. The speaker also shares a personal anecdote about a confrontation with a policeman to highlight the need for authority to meet certain conditions and for individuals to stand up for their rights. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of seeking truth and avoiding traps that can lead us away from God's path.
True Gospel - Pt2 - What Is the Gospel?
By Paul Washer3.5K1:26:46ROM 3:10ROM 3:20ROM 3:23ROM 5:8ROM 6:23ROM 8:1ROM 12:1In this sermon, the speaker expresses his disbelief and disappointment in hearing someone casually mention the crucifixion of Jesus on the radio. He emphasizes the gravity and significance of Jesus dying on the cross to save the world. The speaker describes the darkness and silence that enveloped the earth on the day of the crucifixion, emphasizing the profound impact it had. He urges Christians to recognize the holiness of Jesus and to treat him with reverence. The speaker also highlights the love and sacrifice of Jesus in redeeming humanity from slavery to sin.
In My Father's House
By A.W. Tozer3.5K46:55PrayerGEN 1:27JHN 14:2ROM 6:17ROM 6:23REV 21:3REV 21:22In this sermon, the preacher discusses the fall of man and its consequences. He emphasizes that when Adam and Eve sinned, they lost their privilege to live on earth permanently and were only given a brief time here. The preacher also mentions a vision of a new heaven and earth where there will be no more pain or suffering. He encourages believers to find comfort in the promise of Christ's return and not to fear death, as it is a transition to eternal life.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
For the wages of sin is death - The second death, everlasting perdition. Every sinner earns this by long, sore, and painful service. O! what pains do men take to get to hell! Early and late they toil at sin; and would not Divine justice be in their debt, if it did not pay them their due wages? But the gift of God is eternal life - A man may Merit hell, but he cannot Merit heaven. The apostle does not say that the wages of righteousness is eternal life: no, but that this eternal life, even to the righteous, is το χαρισμα του Θεου, The gracious Gift of God. And even this gracious gift comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. He alone has procured it; and it is given to all those who find redemption in his blood. A sinner goes to hell because he deserves it; a righteous man goes to heaven because Christ has died for him, and communicated that grace by which his sin is pardoned and his soul made holy. The word οψωνια, which we here render wages, signified the daily pay of a Roman soldier. So every sinner has a daily pay, and this pay is death; he has misery because he sins. Sin constitutes hell; the sinner has a hell in his own bosom; all is confusion and disorder where God does not reign: every indulgence of sinful passions increases the disorder, and consequently the misery of a sinner. If men were as much in earnest to get their souls saved as they are to prepare them for perdition, heaven would be highly peopled, and devils would be their own companions. And will not the living lay this to heart? 1. In the preceding chapter we see the connection that subsists between the doctrines of the Gospel and the practice of Christianity. A doctrine is a teaching, instruction, or information concerning some truth that is to be believed, as essential to our salvation. But all teaching that comes from God, necessarily leads to him. That Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification, is a glorious doctrine of the Gospel. But this is of no use to him who does not die to sin, rise in the likeness of his resurrection, and walk in newness of life: this is the use that should be made of the doctrine. Every doctrine has its use, and the use of it consists in the practice founded on it. We hear there is a free pardon - we go to God and receive it; we hear that we may be made holy - we apply for the sanctifying Spirit; we hear there is a heaven of glory, into which the righteous alone shall enter - we watch and pray, believe, love, and obey, in order that, when he doth appear, we may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless. Those are the doctrines; these are the uses or practice founded on those doctrines. 2. It is strange that there should be found a person believing the whole Gospel system, and yet living in sin! Salvation From Sin is the long-continued sound, as it is the spirit and design, of the Gospel. Our Christian name, our baptismal covenant, our profession of faith in Christ, and avowed belief in his word, all call us to this: can it be said that we have any louder calls than these? Our self-interest, as it respects the happiness of a godly life, and the glories of eternal blessedness; the pains and wretchedness of a life of sin, leading to the worm that never dies and the fire that is not quenched; second most powerfully the above calls. Reader, lay these things to heart, and: answer this question to God; How shall I escape, if I neglect so great salvation? And then, as thy conscience shall answer, let thy mind and thy hands begin to act.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through--"in" Jesus Christ our Lord--This concluding verse--as pointed as it is brief--contains the marrow, the most fine gold, of the Gospel. As the laborer is worthy of his hire, and feels it to be his due--his own of right--so is death the due of sin, the wages the sinner has well wrought for, his own. But "eternal life" is in no sense or degree the wages of our righteousness; we do nothing whatever to earn or become entitled to it, and never can: it is therefore, in the most absolute sense, "THE GIFT OF GOD." Grace reigns in the bestowal of it in every case, and that "in Jesus Christ our Lord," as the righteous Channel of it. In view of this, who that hath tasted that the Lord is gracious can refrain from saying, "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen!" (Rev 1:5-6). Note, (1) As the most effectual refutation of the oft-repeated calumny, that the doctrine of Salvation by grace encourages to continue in sin, is the holy life of those who profess it, let such ever feel that the highest service they can render to that Grace which is all their hope, is to "yield themselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and their members instruments of righteousness unto God" (Rom 6:12-13). By so doing they will "put to silence the ignorance of foolish men," secure their own peace, carry out the end of their calling, and give substantial glory to Him that loved them. (2) The fundamental principle of Gospel obedience is as original as it is divinely rational; that "we are set free from the law in order to keep it, and are brought graciously under servitude to the law in order to be free" (Rom 6:14-15, Rom 6:18). So long as we know no principle of obedience but the terrors of the law, which condemns all the breakers of it, and knows nothing whatever of grace, either to pardon the guilty or to purify the stained, we are shut up under a moral impossibility of genuine and acceptable obedience: whereas when Grace lifts us out of this state, and through union to a righteous Surety, brings us into a state of conscious reconciliation, and loving surrender of heart to a God of salvation, we immediately feel the glorious liberty to be holy, and the assurance that "Sin shall not have dominion over us" is as sweet to our renewed tastes and aspirations as the ground of it is felt to be firm, "because we are not under the Law, but under Grace." (3) As this most momentous of all transitions in the history of a man is wholly of God's free grace, the change should never be thought, spoken, or written of but with lively thanksgiving to Him who so loved us (Rom 6:17). (4) Christians, in the service of God, should emulate their former selves in the zeal and steadiness with which they served sin, and the length to which they went in it (Rom 6:19). (5) To stimulate this holy rivalry, let us often "look back to the rock whence we were hewn, the hole of the pit whence we were digged," in search of the enduring advantages and permanent satisfactions which the service of Sin yielded; and when we find to our "shame" only gall and wormwood, let us follow a godless life to its proper "end," until, finding ourselves in the territories of "death," we are fain to hasten back to survey the service of Righteousness, that new Master of all believers, and find Him leading us sweetly into abiding "holiness," and landing us at length in "everlasting life" (Rom 6:20-22). (6) Death and life are before all men who hear the Gospel: the one, the natural issue and proper reward of sin; the other, the absolutely free "GIFT OF GOD" to sinners, "in Jesus Christ our Lord." And as the one is the conscious sense of the hopeless loss of all blissful existence, so the other is the conscious possession and enjoyment of all that constitutes a rational creature's highest "life" for evermore (Rom 6:23). Ye that read or hear these words, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live!" (Deu 30:19). Next: Romans Chapter 7
John Gill Bible Commentary
For the wages of sin is death,.... By sin, is meant every sin, original sin, actual sin, every kind of sin, lesser and greater: the "death" which sin deserves, is a corporeal death; which is not owing to the original nature and constitution of men; nor merely to the divine appointment; but to sin, and the decree of God, on account of it; which is inflicted on Christless sinners, as a punishment for sin, though not on believers as such, because Christ has took away the sting and curse of it: a death of diseases and afflictions also follows upon sin, as its proper demerit; which are properly punishments to wicked men, and are occasioned by sin in believers: there is a death of the soul, which comes by sin, which lies in an alienation from God, in a loss of the image of God, and in a servitude to sin; and there is an eternal death, the just wages of sin, which lies in a separation of soul and body from God, and in a sense of divine wrath to all eternity; and which is here meant, as is clear from its antithesis, "eternal life", in the next clause. Now this is "the wages" of sin; sin does in its own nature produce it, and excludes from life; it is the natural issue of it; sin is committed against an infinite God, and righteously deserves such a death; it is its just wages by law. The Greek word signifies soldiers' wages; see Luk 3:14 and in "At which time Simon rose up, and fought for his nation, and spent much of his own substance, and armed the valiant men of his nation and gave them wages,'' (1 Maccabees 14:32) Sin is represented as a king, a mighty monarch, a tyrannical prince; sinners are his subjects and vassals, his servants and soldiers, who fight under him, and for him, and all the wages they must expect from him is death. So the word is interpreted in the Glossary, , "soldiers' wages"; and so it is used by the Jewish writers, being adopted into their language; of a king, they say (a), that he should not multiply to himself gold and silver more than to pay which they (b) interpret by , "the hire of armies", or the wages of soldiers for a whole year, who go in and out with him all the year; so that it denotes wages due, and paid after a campaign is ended, and service is over; and, as here used, suggests, that when men have been all their days in the service of sin, and have fought under the banners of it, the wages they will earn, and the reward that will be given them, will be death: and it is frequently observed by the Jewish doctors (c), that , "there is no death without sin": sin is the cause of death, and death the fruit and effect of sin: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. These words, at first sight, look as if the sense of them was, that eternal life is the gift of God through Christ, which is a great and glorious truth of the Gospel; but their standing in opposition to the preceding words require another sense, namely, that God's gift of grace issues in eternal life, through Christ: wherefore by "the gift of God" is not meant eternal life, but either the gift of a justifying righteousness, or the grace of God in regeneration and sanctification, or both, which issue in eternal life; the one is the saints' right and title, the other their meetness for it: so that as death is the wages of sin, and is what that issues in, and brings unto, eternal life is the effect of grace, or what the grace of God in justifying and sanctifying his people issues in; even a life free from all sorrow and imperfection; a life of the utmost perfection and pleasure, and which will last for ever: and as the grace of God, which justifies and sanctifies them, is "through Christ", so is the eternal life itself which it brings unto: this is in Christ, comes through his righteousness, sufferings, and death; is bestowed by him, and will greatly consist in the enjoyment of him. All grace is the gift of God, and is freely given, or otherwise it would not be grace; particularly the justifying righteousness of Christ is the gift of God; and the rather this may be meant here, since the apostle had been treating of it so largely before, and had so often, in the preceding chapter, called it the gift of righteousness, the free gift, and gift by grace, and justification by it, the justification of life, because it entitles to eternal life, as here: it may be said to issue in it; for between justification and glorification there is a sure and close connection; they that are justified by the righteousness of Christ, are certainly glorified, or enjoy eternal life; and though this may be principally intended here, yet is not to be understood to the exclusion of other gifts of grace, which have the same connection and issue: thus, for instance, faith is the gift of God, and not of a man's self, and he that has it, has eternal life, and shall, Or ever possess it; repentance is a free grace gift, it is a grant from the Lord, and it is unto life and salvation; and on whomsoever the grace of God is bestowed, so as to believe in Christ for righteousness, and truly repent of sin, these shall partake of eternal glory. It may be observed, that there is a just proportion between sin, and the wages of it, yet there is none between eternal life, and the obedience of men; and therefore though the apostle had been pressing so much obedience to God, and to righteousness, he does not make eternal life to be the fruit and effect of obedience, but of the gift of the grace of God. (a) Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 2. sect. 4. (b) Jarchi & Bartenora in ib. Vid. Cohen de Lara, Ir. David, p. 17. (c) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 55. 1. Vajikra Rabba, parash. 37. fol. 176. 3. Midrash Kohelet, fol. 70. 4. Zohar in Gen. fol. 44. 4. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 115. 1. Next: Romans Chapter 7