For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 NIV
This weekend marks the start of the Christmas shopping season, when thousands of people will hit the stores in search of the perfect gift. Most will spend more than they should in hopes of giving gifts that will bring joy to the ones they love. Of course, gifts that can enhance and add value to our lives are never the kind that can be wrapped in a box with a bow and set under a Christmas tree. But here’s the good news, the perfect gift, the one that will change your life and exceed your expectations is available today and costs no money.
To understand the perfect gift, let’s start back at the beginning. When God made the world, He didn’t just set it in motion then walk away from it. His desire was to interact with people. Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect world in the garden, as God provided for their every need. Not only did they have each other, but they enjoyed God’s companionship as He spent time with them every day.
His only requirement was that they recognize His authority by obeying one rule He had given them. “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die,” God told them. (Genesis 2:15 NLT) God loved them, and their obedience to the rule He had established, was the way He gave them to express their love for Him in return.
They chose, instead, to reject His authority, and the course of human history was changed forever. They could no longer live in the presence of God. Their relationship with God was broken; the intimate fellowship they had with Him in the garden was lost. Adam had no way to repair the damage. Every human born after them, right on up to you and I, are born outside of the garden and with a spiritual separation from our Creator.
Fortunately, the story doesn’t end there. Because God loves people and still wanted to offer them a chance to enjoy a personal relationship with him, He put on flesh, and entered humanity, born as a baby. That’s what Christmas is all about. God made a way for us to re-establish right standing with Him.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned… But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Romans 5:12, 15-18 NLT
A personal relationship with God is the perfect gift, and it’s offered freely to you and those you love!