Series: Not of Works – A Series on the Gospel of Grace

Anchor Text: Romans 6:23

Salvation is not a paycheck for good behavior.
It’s not a reward for perseverance, obedience, or fruitfulness.
It’s a gift.

And if it’s a gift, it’s not earned—it’s received.

🎁 What Does the Bible Say?

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
—Romans 6:23

There’s no footnote.
No conditions.
No fine print.

Eternal life isn’t granted at the end of a faithful life. It’s given the moment a sinner believes the gospel.

🛑 The Danger of Treating the Gift Like a Reward

Many preachers often redefine grace like this:

“Salvation is by grace alone… but you must prove it’s real by the way you live, or you won’t receive eternal life.”

That’s not grace.
That’s wages.

“Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.”
—Romans 4:4

If you’re trying to prove, earn, or finish your salvation—you’ve left grace behind.

✅ A True Gift Has No Strings Attached

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
—Romans 3:24

“It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
—Ephesians 2:8–9

There is no holiness quota.
No fruitfulness clause.
No secret performance standard.

The gift of eternal life is offered freely—paid for by the blood of Christ.

All God asks is that you believe.

🗝️ Key Takeaway

Eternal life is not the reward of the righteous.
It is the gift to the guilty.

No striving. No proving.
Just believing.