Gifts are great messengers of love.

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Falling versus claiming.

 

Everybody knows that falling as a task is easy but climbing up is very difficult.

For a man to fall in sin was as easy as “falling” literally. No effort needed at all. But to recuperate the lost status is as hard as flights back to paradise lost without wins and cover the distance without astronautic gear and do it in a short lifetime. 

Lest us consider the “verse of today.” “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

 

As you can certainly agree with me, the force of logic of falling from the top of a Mountain will have the logical consequence of certain death as the “wages” of your imprudent preference.

 

It should be equally logical that to get back to the top of the Mountain on your own means is as impossible as it can be unless an outside power is able to reinstate you miraculously. Miracles are a work of God alone. Therefore, our verse introduces God as the only being able to do such impossible tasks for us. 

 

Notice that God does not grant Eternal life as “wages” but as “free gift”.

The salvation of a single soul is so expensive that the collective wealth of all human beings would not be enough to cover the cost. Even if everyone would be willing to join means to pay for one soul. Besides, God is not the merchant of souls nor does he need money or wealth in exchange for souls.

 

Keep in mind that God is offended and rightfully angry for what the “Fall” meant to him, that is “willful rejection” by preference to the will of the serpent instead of the will of God. 

 

It is a matter of honor whereby the honorable and sovereign God has been deeply offended. Even among humans the offense against honor is impossible to fix on the basis of monetary means.

 

Imagine for a moment how the three times holy God who is perfect, pure, good and loving has been treated as a common liar, rejected as a man of sorrows acquainted with grief.

 

We have indeed offended God in Adam and Eve, thus fallen to certain death as separation from God. 

Nothing could repair the broken relationship caused by sin.  Therefore, it was necessary for a savior to love us enough and come to work and purchase the free gift of eternal life or salvation.

 

Beware, Christmas has come and gone but the Savior is in the heart of everyone on whom his favor rests. The one message I want to share with you from my heart to your heart is this.

“If God was terribly angry for the first rejection, just imagine how much more his wrath will be over those, who after the work of salvation on the cross, will dare to reject God the second time by not accepting the free gift of God that’s Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

When someone gives you a free gift it is only proper for a word and deed of gratitude. But when the gift is Eternal Life then the only proper attitude of the recipient of such a gift is also Eternal Gratitude. Thank God that we will have Eternity to express such gratitude. In fact, Eternity shall not be long enough to thank and praise God for such a great free gift of Salvation. 

Cheer up oh follower of Jesus; you have much to look forward to.

 

Writing from my chair while on dialysis, some food for thought for the New Year.

 

Gerry Gutierrez. 

 

PS. My Caleb is the flavor of the month because he needs your prayers due to sickness.