The greatest gift
that could be given
to anyone at any
time is the gift of
spiritual re-birth
and eternal life in
Jesus. It is also
the most expensive
for the Giver.
Even before our
original parents,
Adam and Eve, fell
prey to the
Serpent’s wiles, God
knew that his
creation would sin
against Him. Unlike
Adam and Eve, in
their innocence, He
knew all the
ramifications
involved and the
extent their fall
would have upon
mankind all down
through the
corridors of time,
to the last person
born on earth. God
knew the effects sin
would have upon the
world, and it hasn’t
been pretty. One may
wonder why God even
bothered to create
us, when we consider
the price He paid to
redeem us
(Christians).
Sin has brought with
it, death, sickness,
murder, rape, theft,
adultery,
fornication,
homosexuality,
bestiality,
pedophiles, abuse,
pride, fear, doubt,
selfishness, hate,
greed, worry, wars
upon wars, and the
list just goes on
and on. Sin has
turned the beauty of
this earth into a
wasteland of
rebellion against
the Creator. It has
affected not only
mankind, but even
the animal life and
nature itself. No
turn can be made to
avoid the far
reaching death grip
that sin has upon
this earth. God knew
that all His
creation would be
tainted, no,
saturated with the
evils of sin’s
effects. Yet, He
allowed it, because
He was already at
work in providing a
special gift that
would restore
everything back to
the pure,
unadulterated
original. “And
I will put enmity
between thee and the
woman, and between
thy seed and her
seed; it shall
bruise thy head, and
thou shalt bruise
his heel.”
(Genesis 3:15)
Satan, Lucifer, the
Devil, Beelzebub
whatever you choose
to call him,
actually started
this whole mess. If
we really want to
blame someone, here
is where the
accusing finger
should point. He had
it all, but wasn’t
satisfied. He wants
to be God, but he is
not even a god. He
is a fallen angel
with a bad attitude.
Only Satan could
take something that
is pure and clean,
and contaminate it
to the point of
being unrecognizably
filthy. Mankind now
does the same, when
their father is the
Devil himself. Don’t
think so? Consider a
man, or woman, who
would steal the
innocence of a child
for instance. That
is nothing but
Satanic.
The color of sin is
black, in that it
has deceived and
blackened the hearts
of mankind. “The
heart is deceitful
above all things,
and desperately
wicked: who can know
it?” (Jeremiah
17:9) It is also
red, in that it has
spilled blood from
the time of Cain. “And
Cain talked with
Abel his brother:
and it came to pass,
when they were in
the field, that Cain
rose up against Abel
his brother, and
slew him.”
(Genesis 4:8) It has
brought nothing but
death and
destruction as it
has pillaged the
hearts and minds of
mankind and ravaged
the earth.
Not one progeny of
Adam has dodged the
darts of sin. “For
all have sinned, and
come short of the
glory of God;”
(Romans 3:23) Alas,
it is embedded
within our souls
from the time we are
conceived. “Behold,
I was shapen in
iniquity; and in sin
did my mother
conceive me.”
(Psalms 51:5) We
wrestle with it from
cradle to grave
(Romans 7). Many
just succumb to its
poisonous fangs and
give in to its
alluring call,
ignoring the
judgment it brings
down upon us all. “For
the wages of sin is
death;
but (emphasis
mine) the gift of
God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ
our Lord.”
(Romans 6:23)
I’ve said all this
in order that we
could get a glimpse
of our hopeless
situation under the
iron boot of Satan
and his companion,
sin. However, notice
that small,
three-letter word in
the previous verse
quoted … “but.” It
is cause for
jubilation! Why is
that? The word “but”
is a conjunction in
the sentence
structure. More
importantly, it is a
conjunction of
contrast, simply
meaning that what is
said after the word
“but” will be the
exact opposite of
what was said before
it. Before, it says,
“For the wages of
sin is death.”
Afterward, it says,
“The gift of God is
eternal life through
Jesus Christ our
Lord.” Sin condemns
us with death,
spiritually and
physically, but
faith in Jesus
Christ frees us with
eternal life!
Since we are born in
sin and live in sin,
we cannot conquer
sin. “For
whosoever shall keep
the whole law, and
yet offend in one
point, he is guilty
of all.” (James
2:10) The good news
is that even though
we cannot be
experientially
(daily living)
perfect, we can be
positionally (the
cross of Christ)
perfect. Every man,
woman and child
sins: Christians and
non-Christians.
However, Christians
can point to the
cross of Jesus. The
non-believer cannot.
The sacrifices of
the Old Testament
pointed toward
the sacrifice of
the New Testament.
Whether the
sacrifice in the Old
Testament was a
young bull, a lamb,
a red heifer, God
required the animal
sacrifice to meet
certain
specifications, and
one of those
specifications was
always that it be
without spot.
Jesus was without
spot. “How
much more shall the
blood of Christ, who
through the eternal
Spirit offered
himself without spot
to God, purge your
conscience from dead
works to serve the
living God?”
(Hebrews 9:14) “But
with the precious
blood of Christ, as
of a lamb without
blemish and without
spot:” (1 Peter
1:19) Jesus, the Son
of God, was sinless.
Even corrupt Pilate
said he found no
fault in Him (John
18:38; John 19:4, 6)
Therefore, Jesus
took our judgment of
sin upon Himself. “For
we have not an high
priest which cannot
be touched with the
feeling of our
infirmities; but was
in all points
tempted like as we
are, yet without
sin.” (Hebrews
4:15) “So
Christ was once
offered to bear the
sins of many; and
unto them that look
for him shall he
appear the second
time without sin
unto salvation.”
(Hebrews 9:28)
By His own choice,
He paid the price to
redeem us (buy us
back) and give us
eternal life. The
greatest gift
provider is Jesus
Christ the Son of
God. The greatest
gift giver is God
our Creator. If all
that we know about
Jesus and all that
He has said is not
true, then we have
no hope, “If
in this life only we
have hope in Christ,
we are of all men
most miserable.”
(1 Corinthians
15:19) But we know
that His Word is
true, if it just be
by the evidence in
our own heart. For
those who will come
to the Lamb of God,
He will freely give
eternal life.
Grant Phillips
grantphillips@windstream.net
My articles are
posted at
“Pre-Rapture
Commentary”
http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
and many are also
posted at “Rapture
Ready”
http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html.
