Take and Open

Imagine someone purchasing one gift for each person in the whole world. The gifts are identical and desirable. Each one cost the giver a great deal but are free to those whose name is marked on the tag. Imagine those gifts lined up and the giver announces that the gifts are ready. Whoever wants their gift must simple receive it.

But the gifts are eyed with suspicion. Instead of benevolence, many think there must be something else motivating the giver, so they walk on by. Some assume this gift must have a catch to it, some hidden strings attached, so they also pass up the offer. Many think they don’t need this gift because they can manage quite well without it. Others wring their hands thinking they don’t deserve such generosity and cannot bring themselves to take it.

Writers are taught to leave out redundant adjectives, so the term “free gift” should be edited. A gift, by definition, is free so needs no modification. However, modern thinking assumes otherwise regarding gifts. From “now I own you something” to “I wonder what is expected of me,” the response to a gift is generally something about payback rather than gratitude. Gifts are exchanged, rarely one-way. Gifts are tracked so the payback can be around the same value. Sometimes gifts are expected, rather than a surprise.

When it comes to the gift of salvation, God must have anticipated that “gift” would need an explanation. Romans 5:15-19 does just that

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

Paul describes that we were given our sinful nature because of the sin of one man, Adam. That is one gift I didn’t ask for or even pick up and take home. I’d rather not have it, but instead, it is part of who I am. God says everyone is under condemnation because of sin, and it all came from that one trespass of Adam. He disobeyed God and now we are cursed with the same predilection. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

However, God offers a better gift, the gift of justification and righteousness. This gift is made available because Jesus Christ died for our sins. By His obedience, we are offered this gift that also includes forgiveness, eternal life, even everything we need for this life.

Unlike that rotten gift of a sin nature, this one is not automatically ours simple because God offers it. The key words are those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness. The gift sits there, for each person, with their name on it, but unless they take it, it remains as useless to them as an unwrapped birthday present or a parcel left in the mailbox or under the Christmas tree.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”