Mission Venture Ministries

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

One of the most powerful and significant use of an exact opposite is found in the verse above; where “wages” or consequences is contrasted with “death” and “gift” or reward with “eternal life.” These are powerful contrasting words that are direct opposites. 

God’s free gift of grace is not something anyone can earn as a wage for our works. Instead, Paul presents man as executing his own death by the wage of sin. God however, offers man eternal life by His grace, which is totally free of man’s merit. The law of opposites is used by the Holy Spirit to show the helpless state of sinners and the incomprehensible grace of God. Paul repeats the contrasting statement that God’s saving grace has nothing to do with man’s works in Romans 11:6. “And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” 

Two verses that have set many free from the bondage of religious deception are Ephesians 2:8-9. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” In these verses Paul nullifies the false teaching of a works-based salvation by declaring salvation is totally from God and not of man. Salvation is by God’s grace through faith in what God has done, not by works man must do, so that no one may boast. In Titus 3:4-5, Paul uses another contrasting passage to eliminate the works by righteousness by the things we have done. “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” 

There are many opposites revealed in God’s Word, including Christ and Antichrist, advocate opposed to adversary, believers in contrast to unbelievers, eternal life vs. eternal death, light opposite from darkness, justification vs. condemnation, truth in contrast to error, righteousness vs. lawlessness, the church instead of the world, the regenerate man vs. the unregenerate man, heaven in contrast to hell and children of God vs. children of Satan. 

The Apostle Paul warned that some would come preaching a Jesus who is not the one the apostles preached (2 Corinthians 11:4). Have you ever considered how different the Jesus of some churches is with the true Jesus who is gloriously revealed in Scripture? 

The truth of God’s word teaches that: 

• Jesus gives believers eternal life and promises they will never perish (John 10:28). 

• Jesus purifies all sins (Hebrews 1:3, 1 John 1:7). 

• Jesus finished the work of redemption on the cross (Hebrews 9:12, 10:12). 

• Jesus redeemed believers from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us (Galatians 3:10). 

• Jesus is the only sinless mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). 

• Jesus is the only Way to the Father in heaven (John 14:6). 

If we read the account of Hebrews 9:24-28 we see that: “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. ²⁵ Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. ²⁶ Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. ²⁷ Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.” 

What does your church teach? 

Please remember that at the end of the tribulation period when Jesus comes back to earth at His second coming, the Good Shepherd will divide the sheep from the goats and the human race will be divided in two groups. Some will enter into the joy of eternal life with their Savior; others will depart into eternal punishment (Matthew 25:31-46). This should motivate us all, with a sense of urgency, to lovingly point people to the truth of the Gospel. People will never know that they are being deceived until they are presented with the truth of God’s word. 

Remember what Jesus said: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). 

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