The Free Gift

A good brother in Christ was preaching this past Sunday and part of his text was from the 5th chapter of Romans, “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Romans 8:15) I’ve read and heard this scripture many times, but it hit me differently this time than it had before (that’s how the Holy Spirit works, y’know?). Adam and Eve’s rebellion and sin in the Garden brought the judgment of sin, and the carnal nature, on every human born since. It is universal judgment - no one is exempt! But the gift of God, the “gift by grace”, the promised Holy Spirit and salvation, is not this way, but rather, we must choose it. It is a gift, not a judgment. The good news is that it is available today to believers that will lean into Jesus Christ.

Jesus told his followers, “ If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13) If we take Jesus’s words as they are written, then God requires us to ask for the Holy Spirit, but He only requires us to ask! I can’t help but wonder how many folks have asked God to send the Holy Spirit to them? Oh what a changed world we would experience if folks would just ask God to sanctify them!

I think an important point to make about sanctification is that it is not something that we can earn. We cannot work hard enough, can’t willpower enough, can’t be charitable enough….we could never match the price that Jesus paid on this Earth for us. It has to be a gift of grace, it has to be the power of God. This is expressed by Paul when he says, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;” (2 Corinthians 3:5).

And oh what a gift the Holy Spirit is! This gift cleanses, sanctifies, purifies, seals, keeps, helps, teaches, guides, transforms, makes wise…. there is absolutely nothing else like it.

Have you received the gift of the Holy Spirit? If not, begin asking God for it! The way to seek the Holy Spirit is the same way we seek forgiveness or healing or help - on our knees. On our knees we can’t work, we can’t give, we can’t effort, which is exactly the point; when we assume the posture of reverance and begging, we are acknowledging that it is His power and provision that we need, and that we cannot accomplish this on our own. So I would encourage you to get on your knees, and simply ask God to give you the free gift.

Many blessings friends!