Jason Budd

         There is no doubt in my mind that a great many of you have jobs.  You journey to work on a daily basis.  You put in your time and work hard.  It would be safe to say that for the most part you are doing that work for one specific reason–to be paid.  When you go to work, you are operating under a contract that you get paid for working and that your employer has no right to withhold your wages.
         You must see however, that we operate under a similar contract with God.  Paul tells us in Romans 6:23 that "the wages of sin is death."  Just as your earthly employer must pay you, so must God deliver to you the wages of your actions.  Your payment for sin is death and as surely as your job will pay you, so will your heavenly Father.
         However, there are times when our employer grants us a bonus–a bonus he is in no way obligated to pay.  Similarly, God grants us a "free gift" which is "eternal life."  He was in no way obligated to give us that bonus, but He did, and what a bonus it was in the form of "Christ Jesus our Lord"!  There is a condition, however, that we must meet before the gift is granted.  We must be "in" Christ.  Under this new contract, we can be assured of our bonus.  But we still must be sure not to sin, because while a bonus is being offered, God still must pay the wages of our sin.
         What does your paycheck say?