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Romans chapters 6-8 are some of my favorite chapters in all of the scriptures I read. I realize that Romans 6-8 is actually a very well set of chapters, by many, in many faiths. Much has been written on them, and many have looked at them and analyzed them. My intention is not to do any of those things, but rather to simply share some of my feelings, and the way I read Romans 6-8.

One thing about Romans chapters 6-8, for me, is that they cover several very important topics. The primary topic, our eternal salvation, is the one I would like to talk about in this post. I think one of the more powerful versus, and one that is often quoted, is Romans 6:23, which reads:

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

While there is a grand discussion in the world concerning grace and good works, I don't intent to address those concerns. The simple truth in Romans 6:23 is that Jesus Christ provided a way and means to draw all people unto him. His sacrifice is powerful enough to save everyone on this Earth, if we will but turn to him. The "gift" of Eternal life is available to all, no matter how wretched our state.

Interestingly, leading up to Romans 6:23 is a monologue concerning sin. It appears that the audience Paul was writing to might have felt to excuse themselves in sin because of the surety of their salvation. Romans 6:15 contains Paul's simple and clear response to this idea:

"What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid."

In other words, "grace", or the free gift of Christ's sacrifice, is not an excuse to sin. Far from it. When we understand the sacrifice of Christ, we want to avoid sin, and we become strangers to sin. In Romans 6:11 Paul calls it being "dead" unto sin:

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Paul's final answer to his debate against sin ends with this powerful exclamation from Romans 7:24, which is shared by all those who recognize their fallen state, when he proclaims:

"O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"

Paul realized that in spite of his desire to do good, the natural or carnal man that he was posed a problem and a challenge for the spiritual man he longed to become.

Romans 8 I would like to write about separately, but in the light of this topic, I would end with Romans 8:38-39, which reads:

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I testify with Paul that nothing can interfere with the power which is in Jesus Christ to save all mankind and provide eternal life, the free gift for all, as unworthy as we are. Christ's suffering and sacrifice is more powerful than any other thing that might try to stand in its way.