In Romans 6:23 Paul writes, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” In this one verse Paul summarizes all his preaching, teaching, and theology. Paul, in this one verse, reveals there are two sides to eternity. One side leads to everlasting life; the other side leads to eternal death.

The wages of sin is death. Paul states the wages of sin is death. Wages are what is rightfully earned and deserved. Wages are what you receive for your labor and work. Paul says what is earned because of sin is death. If you live a life of sin the wages of such a life is death. Not just physical death, but spiritual death, which is the second death, eternal torment. The pay-off of sin is what we deserve. Let us observe several things in regard to how sin pays off.

(i) Sin pays off in Shame. Sin pays off in guilt and shame. Guilt is that heavy feeling we get for something we did. Shame is that heavy feeling we have for what we are. If we live in rebellion to God we are sinners. Most people know when they do wrong and feel the guilt and shame. They know they can do better, but choose not to. Many people live their lives trying to escape the sting of guilt and shame. Instead of confessing their sin, they seek to justify it. Guilt and shame are heavy burdens to carry. Some seek to sear their consciences with a hot iron so as not to feel the guilt and shame (I Tim.4:2). (a)The shame of public discovery of your sin. A lot of times what we think are private sins become discovered. There is the guilt and shame that any moment one will disclose what you have been trying to hide.(b)There is the shame of Divine exposure. In 2 Cor.5:10 Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” If I understand my Bible correctly, one who has not had their sins blotted out by the blood of Christ will have their sins exposed in the judgment. Every sin you thought you had kept hidden will be made known (Eccl.12:14).

(ii)Sin pays off in Sorrow. Not only does sin pay off in shame, but sin pays off in sorrow. Consider those affected by the sorrow of sin. (a)Personal sorrow. Think about all the time, money, and energy used to live in sin. The consequences of your choices and the pain involved. (b)Sorrow of loved ones. Loved ones who know you are in a lost state and not right with God. How many tears have fallen from loved ones who know your spiritual state? How many heartaches have there been because you continue to reject the plea to come to God and continue in sin? (c)Sorrow of God. Consider His heartache because of your sin. God sent His only begotten Son so your sins can be forgiven, but you reject His sacrifice.

(iii)Sin pays off in Separation. Consider the following; (a)Separated from God. That line is enough to make chills run down your spine. I don’t know if there is any sadder words than those in Matthew 7:23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” Notice what you will be separated from for all eternity. (b)Separated from good. There is nothing good in hell. (c)Separated from glory. Apart from the bliss of heaven. John states about heaven in Revelation 21:4 “And God will

wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

How do I escape the wages of sin? Notice the second part of Romans 6:23 “...but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Accept the gift of God. A gift is not earned nor deserved, but is freely given. One must accept the gift. God offers us a: (a)A substitute-His Son died for us. (b)A sacrifice-satisfied God on our behalf. (c)A Savior in Christ. What choice will you make?

Paul, in writing to the church at Ephesus, brings to their mind that one is redeemed by the blood of Christ. In Ephesians 1:7 he writes, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace…” It is through the blood of Christ we have forgiveness of sins. Then we observe that Paul told the Ephesian elders to shepherd the flock which Jesus purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28). In Paul’s epistle to the church at Rome Paul states that we are justified by the blood of Christ (Romans 5:9). So Paul sets forth that we are redeemed, purchased, and justified by the blood of Christ. Time and time again we see New Testament writers as guided by the Holy Spirit refer to the blood of Christ. For a moment let your mind go back to the scene of the cross and note why Jesus died on that cruel cross. Picture the blood that flowed from His body down the timber to the ground below. If we look closely the blood spells out several things. Observe with me several things Jesus wrote with His own blood. Notice some grand truths written in blood red.

(i)Jesus wrote down in His own blood that you can be a child of God. When we come in contact with the blood of Christ we are “born again” (Jno.3:3-5).We are adopted into the family of God (Gal.4:5; Eph.1:5) Consider Paul’s words “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). When Jesus shed His blood on the cross He wrote it down in blood red that through His shed blood we can be children of God. However, one must be in the blood to receive this blessing. “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Galatians 3:26).

(ii)Jesus wrote down in His own blood “I love you.” Paul wrote in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” When you look at the cross you see the greatest demonstration of love there ever has been. As the blood trickled down the lumber and pooled on the ground the blood spelled out the love of Jesus for you. Jesus loves you so much He wrote in red! Sometimes we get frustrated because of the trials of life, but let us never question the love of God for us (Jno.3:16).

(iii)Jesus wrote down in His own blood “I will forgive you.” Do you ever feel that your sins are too great and that God cannot forgive you? Then you need to look at the cross of Christ. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life” (Rom.6:23). The only reason we can be forgiven is because of the cross of Christ. He paid the penalty for our sin by dying on the cross. Jesus wrote with His own blood that if we come to God on His terms, He will forgive us. There is no sin so great that the blood of Christ cannot blot it out. To be forgiven you must want forgiveness and must seek it according to His will.

(iv)Jesus wrote down in His own blood “I will come again.” It is written in red that Jesus was raised from the dead and He is now at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33). However, the promise of God is that He will come again and take the forgiven home to heaven (Jno.14:1-3). Jesus wrote in red that He will come again, are you ready for Him to come again? These promises are written in red, the blood of Christ.