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KNOWING JESUS CHRIST AS LORD By Larry Kreider A Solid Foundation Day 5: Receiving a Free Gift The Bible also tells us that we receive wages for our sin. In the same way that we get paid wages from working at our jobs, we receive wages for our sin. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 6:23). The wages that we receive for our sins is death; spiritual separation from God for all eternity. Those who joke about hell have no idea how real hell will be. After we die there will be no more opportunity to escape. "For it is appointed unto a man once to die and after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). But the good news is this! The free gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus took our place on the cross two thousand years ago so that we can experience eternal life starting today! We simply need to receive Him as our Lord, and He will give us a brand new life. The Bible tells us, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become , even to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12). A few years ago I was talking to a group of teenagers in Peterhead, Scotland about receivng Jesus as Lord. I took a one pound note from my pocket and handed it to a young man in the audience. I explained that only after he received it was it actually his. He could say, "I believe, I believe," all he wants, but he needed to receive the bill as his own. He received it and was surprised when I told him to keep it. But that is how God responds to us when we receive Jesus Christ as Lord. We receive salvation as a free gift! We do not deserve salvation, but the Lord wants to give it to us anyway. Do you deserve Christmas gifts? Of course not. But you receive them as free gifts. The same principle applies to our salvation. 
Questions to Consider: Read Romans 6:23. What do we receive for our sin? What are the wages that we receive? What is spiritual ? Read Hebrews 9:27 from your Bible. What happens to us after we die? What is the good news? Read John 1:12 from your Bible. How do we become the children of God? Do we deserve salvation? Explain. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________
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