Sovereign Grace Church

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord


(ROMANS 6:23)

God requireth not anything of us whereby we should purchase or merit for ourselves [eternal] life and salvation. For we are saved by grace “through faith;” “not of works, lest any man should boast” (EPHESIANS 2:8-9). God doth save us neither by nor for the “works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his own mercy” (TITUS 3:5); so that, although on the one side, “the wages of sin is death,” there being a proportion in the justice between sin and punishment; yet there is none between our obedience and our salvation; and therefore “eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (ROMANS 6:23). God, therefore, requires nothing at our hands under this notion or consideration; nor is it possible that in our condition any such thing should be required of us. For whatever we can do is due beforehand on other accounts, and so can have no prospect to merit what is to come. Who can merit salvation by [his own doing]?