The Wages of Sin vs. The Gift of God: Which Will You Choose?
20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:20-23 (NIV)
In a sense, being a slave to sin does bring freedom; but only from “the control of righteousness” (v 20). When someone says that they are rejecting Christianity because they want to be free, they are right only in the narrow sense that they’re free from living in the way that will most satisfy and fulfill them; in every other way they are slaves. After all, Paul asks these Christians: “What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of?” (v 21). The only answer that can be given is: “Those things result in death!”
How does sin bring death? Ultimately, sin brings condemnation and separation from God for eternity. But Paul is talking of a “death” that these Christians used to experience; a death that non-believers know now, as well as the one they will know in the future. He is referring to brokenness of life. Here’s how that works: if you don’t obey the law of God, you become a slave to selfishness, lust, bitterness, pride, materialism, worry, driven-ness, fear, etc. The specific enslaving sins depend on whatever particular “bottom line” you have offered yourself to instead of God. For example, if you are enslaved to approval, you will constantly experience self-pity, envy, hurt feelings, inadequacy. If you are enslaved to success, you will experience driven-ness, fatigue, worry and fear, and so on. Anything you worship besides God promises much, but delivers worse than nothing. It is slavery: a constant treadmill of seeking to grasp, or keep hold of, something which can never really deliver. The only benefit of idolatry is brokenness.
And so the results of slavery to God are a complete contrast. “The benefit [is] holiness, and the result is eternal life” (v 22). Again, Paul gives us a present and a future focus. People who “offer themselves” to obedience grow in the fruit of the Spirit, and anyone who is awash in love, joy, self-control, kindness and so on, experiences liberty now, and can look forward to enjoying it eternally.
After all, sin is a master who always pays, on time and in full. The wages he pays “is death” (v 23). Sin pays out what we deserve for our work for him. On the other hand, slavery to God leads to “eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul’s meaning here is not that, just as sinful works bring death, righteous works merit life. No, sin gives what we deserve, but eternal life is only and always “the gift of God.” Serving him does not win us salvation—however good our service, we can only ever say: “We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty” (Luke 17:10). But those who know they have received the wonderful “gift of God … eternal life” (Romans 6:23) have a new Master, a Master who offers the fulfillment of working for him.
Consider the “bottom lines” or idols in your life that you may be worshipping besides God. How have these false masters promised much but delivered little? What steps can you take to dethrone these idols and put God first?
[This long quote above were directly taken from Tim Keller’s book “Romans 1-7 for You“]
I would have to say that most of the idols in my life have historically been those which promise pleasure and escape from pain, and that they delivered, but only temporarily, and then eventually they led to experience infinitely more pain than ever before! The most obvious of these in my own life can be observed in the course of my history of alcohol and drug addiction, but there are many manifestations of it. I have even pursued relationships in service to this false master, and the result was always the same. Sooner or later, I’d end up in a state of “pitiful and incomprehensible demoralization,” with no hope of escape- enslaved. The twelve step program of AA, once again, has been instrumental in my life as the steps I’ve taken to dethrone these idols and put God first. First, I recognize and admit my own powerlessness over these idols, and the unmanageability of my life that ensues from that. Then, I come to believe that only a power greater than me, the power of God Himself, could restore me to sanity. And third, I make the decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of our Lord Jesus Christ. This plays out in many different forms, the bulk of which entail much prayer, time spent in His Word, fellowship with other members of His body, and being of service to my fellow man (and woman) in whatever capacity I am able. The rest of the steps go on to detail the specifics of this process of growing in Christ, and include self-examination, open confession, more prayer, making amends, and maintaining this way of life as we share the hope of freedom we’ve found with others who may be suffering. Thanks be to God for His amazing grace, and the way in which He has made for us to live the abundant life- “happy, joyous, and free!”
I can relate to a number of the things mentioned in today reading. For me, the things that enslaved me before were pride foremost. I wanted to be know as a good and generous person. When I do good and am generous only for the recognition, I would be bitter and resentful when I don’t receive the recognitions. So though I didn’t ask for like return, no tit-for-tat so to speak but I still wanted something in return and I worked hard for that recognition and when I don’t get it or I lost it (I’m not much better than the kids these days and their likes on social media) I was devastated. Now when I do something good or if I’m generous, I give all credits to the Lord and if the work is good and something wonderful happens, I get to enjoy the outcomes while standing beside the Lord. If the work didn’t come out as I had hoped, I’m not devastated because I understand that it is not yet the right time and God had not willed it so and I am I still at peace with it. I don’t have to be good for others.
Previously, I also wanted to be praised for my intellect but I was always careful to act like I was modest but it was all false modesty. Because of that I would never admit to not knowing something. I knew everything and so to prove it I work extra hard to make sure whatever I say will come true. I worked crazy hours in those days – 80-100 hours a week. I was successful and people recognized it but I was tired and stress out all the time. Now, I recognize that pride is my greatest sin. Pride made me miserable in the past. I was successful but at the peak of my success was when I was in the deepest depth of my despair. It was on the year when my earning was the highest ever – it was at the peak of my success when I was most miserable and was ready to give it all up.
The Lord freed me from all those things. He freed me from trying to maintain a false image. He freed me from trying to sustain a false pride. He freed me from the false human/earthly success and show me a new path that leads to peace by His side. When I was standing at the precipice of my despair, I asked only for one thing – one thing in my heart – I asked for peace. That’s all I wanted – a peace in this world. I know God is working to give me the strength to find that peace. Life is still hard. It is not that God doesn’t still give me so much challenges but now I’m armed with His wisdom and His strength so in the chaos He shows me that there is still quiet calm and peace that surround the Father and I can feel that peace by standing in His shadow.