Romans 6:23 – The Wages of Sin

^“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

When you think of “wages,” you probably envision the payment received for a job done. Following that logic then, we pay with our lives when we stay stuck in our sin without a Savior. Our sin has a very high price tag. Death becomes the end of the story when we don’t have Jesus to save us with the gift of eternal life. There’s a lot to unpack here.

Context (Romans 6): This whole chapter talks about the grip sin has on our lives and how Jesus changes everything. Paul describes how we died with Christ when we were joined with him in baptism. There is also talk about being a slave to sin when we’re not following Jesus. Because of Jesus, we are now free.

Our sinfulness is expected; it’s like we can’t help but sin. It’s those sins that keep us separated from God. Thankfully, Jesus’ free gift abolishes that barrier. What Jesus did for us on the cross has wiped the slate clean for us as believers.

Even though we have Jesus in our lives, we are still prone to sin. We shouldn’t take our salvation for granted and keep on sinning. It is no easy task to be pure from sin, but Jesus’ example gives us a great model to follow.

This verse suggests two paths in life—one being death and the other eternal life. Think of how many people don’t know their options and assume death is the end. No wonder so many people fear death. For them, it’s “game over.” For us believers, death is the beginning of our forever with God.

Our sin is supposed to lead to death and eternal separation from God. That doesn’t sound pleasant, does it? Since we can’t help ourselves and live a sinless life like Jesus did, believing and trusting in Jesus is the smart way to live. Spending time in God’s Word helps us stay focused on what pleases God. The more we do those things, the harder it is for us to fall into the trap of sin.

Never forget what Jesus did for you and your sin. His act of love on the cross means no more eternal death for us. How do you respond to that?

Let’s pray. Lord, your love for us is never-ending, and I look forward to forever with you. Until that day, give me the strength and endurance I need to fight the good fight against sin and help others to do the same. Empower me for the mission you have put before me. May I sing your praises in every moment. You are an amazing God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.