The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.
Paul contrasts what you earn with what you're offered.
The episode in a glance.
- 01'Wages' is what you earn — sin pays in death.
- 02'Gift' is what you can't earn — God gives life.
- 03The contrast is between earning and receiving.
- 04'In Christ Jesus our Lord' — the gift has a name.
Read along.
Romans 6:23 — 'For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.' This is one of the most quoted verses in evangelism, and for good reason.
'Wages of sin.' Wages are what you earn. Sin pays. It doesn't give bonuses. It doesn't offer promotions. It pays death. Physical death. Spiritual death. Separation from God. That's the paycheck.
'But.' The most important word in the verse. Everything pivots here. Death is what you earn. But God offers something else entirely.
'The free gift of God.' Not wages. Gift. You don't earn it. You don't deserve it. You receive it. And the gift is eternal life — life that starts now, lasts forever, and is defined by relationship with God.
'In Christ Jesus our Lord.' The gift isn't abstract. It has a name. A face. A cross. A resurrection. Eternal life isn't a concept. It's a person. And he's offering himself to you.