The Gift of God

The provision of a gift to any individual can be described as something given without compensation. In other words, the one who 'gives' does so with no need of recompense. Christianity teaches that God offers such a gift. As described in the Bible, which much of Christianity believes to be the inspired words of a holy God, man is nothing more than a sinful, helpless soul. Sinful in the sense that the sins of the first man Adam are 'handed down' to each child born thereafter, and helpless in the sense that there is nothing which he, nor anyone else, can do about it.

The Reason

The Bible describes sinfulness as being deserving of the ultimate punishment which is eternal death. In the words of [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Rom/Rom006.html#23 Romans 6:23] 'For the wages of sin is death'. Sin, being disobedience from birth towards a perfect and holy God, is enough to separate even the very young from the great love of God. Yet God, in His love, provided a way where a man, a woman, or a child could be reconciled back to God. A way by which the stains of sin in one's life could be replaced by a perfect righteousness. Upon receiving this perfect righteousness, and according to the words of the Christian Bible, an individual may then be accepted as perfect and received into the family of God, to enjoy eternal benefits with God in heaven. The means of this acceptance is not through works, not through fortune, not through fame, but through a gift, the gift of God. Many other religions speak of receiving eternal life also, but only in Christianity is it offered as a gift, rather than a reward.

The Subject

The subject of the gift is found once again in the Christian Bible. In the book of [http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Jhn/Jhn003.html?q=john%203#top John chapter 3], verse 16 speaks of how God loved the world, despite the sinful state of man, in such a way that He sent His only Son to leave the glory and the splendour of heaven and come down to a sin-cursed earth. He sent His Son from heaven to become a child, born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. The child Jesus Christ was the gift of God to a world of sin. Sinful man could not change his condition. The punishment of death could not be avoided, the judgement could not be revoked, unless some other man took that punishment for him. According to the gift of God, that man was Jesus Christ. Today, many believe that He was simply a man who lived a very good life, but Christianity teaches that Jesus was, and is, the Son of God.

The Purpose

From the Christian point of view, where they consider Jesus to be the Son of God, they claim also that He was God. He was perfect, holy, undefiled, yet He humbled himself to become a man. A man who was tempted, but sinned not. A man who was tried, but sinned not. A man who was taunted, but sinned not. Therefore, considering the Biblical view that every man is a sinner, He was the only one who could take upon Himself the punishment for another man's sin, because He was the only one who had no sins of His own, by which he should have been punished. From history we know that Jesus, at the age of 33 years, died the death of criminal. The blood of Jesus Christ, who according to Christianity was the only perfect man who ever lived, the only man who could die for the sins of another, was shed on the cross of Calvary. Christians also believe that although He lived as a man and died as a man, that because He was fully God, He rose from the dead three days later.

The gift of God then is Jesus Christ, the only one who has died to remove the sins of man. The resurrection from the grave is said to demonstrate His power over death, the punishment for sin. So, according to the Bible, the gift of God is salvation from death, salvation from hell, salvation from destruction, and is found alone in Jesus Christ. As it is written once again in the Christian Bible, ‘[http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Rom/Rom006.html#23 the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ]’.

The Rejection

A gift must be received. A gift must be accepted. If a gift is refused it still belongs to the one who paid the price. The gift of Jesus Christ can be refused. Many people believe in God but refuse the gift of Jesus Christ. Many believe that Jesus Christ is not alive today and so accepting the gift is of no benefit. Atheists do not believe in God, and so will not believe there is a gift to receive. Others believe they must work to merit the gift. Some would hold the opinion that there is no gift because there is no punishment, everyone goes to heaven. Yet there are still many today who believe that only individuals who have accepted the gift of God will be saved from the punishment of sin, and who believe that to accept the gift of Jesus Christ means to accept forgiveness, righteousness, eternal life, peace and joy.

Conclusion

According to the Christian Bible, the gift of God is free, it is available and it is the greatest gift one can receive. It is the gift of perfect righteousness, it is the gift of perfect forgiveness, it is the gift of perfect happiness, it is quite simply the gift of God.

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