The Greatest Gift

In a moment in History God has offered all mankind the greatest gift he could. Eternal life and life more abundantly. Though this is a free gift, it is not a gift that comes without cost. Hebrews 9 explains that it was necessary that Jesus Christ had to pay for it by shedding his blood and dying on our behalf, paying for the penalty of the sins for all mankind.

Hebrews 9:11–12 (ESV)

¹¹But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 

¹²he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

Hebrews 9:21–22 (ESV)

²¹And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 

²²Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Hebrews 9:26–28 (ESV)

²⁶for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

²⁷And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 

²⁸so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Why can’t we get this gift ourselves? Why can’t we go out and pay for it… Surely we can be good enough to earn the gift of eternal life!

On the contrary, we can’t. Jesus was the only sufficient sacrifice to purchase such a gift.

Our problem is that we’re all sinners. We fall short of the standard which God accepts. Perfection and nothing less.

Romans 3:10–12 (ESV)

¹⁰as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 

¹¹no one understands; no one seeks for God. 

¹²All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

Romans 3:23 (ESV)

²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

James 2:10 (ESV)

¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

Now we’re confronted with our sin the weight of it. However, the gift the Jesus Christ offers reveals good news!

Romans 6:23 (ESV)

²³For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

A gift is not your gift until you accept it. How then can we accept such a wonderful gift. It’s much simpler than many today may put it. You simply must repent and trust in Jesus as your savior.

2 Corinthians 7:10 (ESV)

10For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

 Repentance is turning from your way to God’s way. Recognizing your sin for what it is and turning to the way that God desires us to follow.

John 14:6 (ESV)

6Jesus [said], “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

When we choose to repent and trust in Jesus as our savior, we instantly accept the greatest gift ever. The Gift that Jesus presents to everyone freely that would accept it by faith in Him. 

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)

6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

John 3:16–17 (ESV)

16“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 

17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Romans 10:9–13 (ESV)

9… if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

10For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 

11For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 

13For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

There is one thing we all must remember. To not receive the gift that Jesus offers to us leaves us on our own. As we’ve already acknowledged, salvation cannot be earned. It only comes through the gift that was paid for by Jesus Christ and presented to us by Jesus Christ.

John 3:18–20 (ESV)

18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 

19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 

20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 

However, God is patient. As long as you have breath in your lungs it is not too late! Come to Jesus and receive your eternal gift of salvation!

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)

9The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

John 3:21 (ESV)

21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”