Golden Nugget:  A gift is something freely given. The “worthiness” of the receiver is not the basis for a gift. So it is with the gift of salvation.

Daily Message:

A gift is something freely given, not earned or deserved. The “worthiness” of the receiver is not the basis for a gift. The generosity of the giver is what makes something a gift. 

All that is required of the receiver is simply to accept the gift and say thank you. If the receiver were required to do anything else, then it wouldn’t be a gift at all! Instead it would be a wage or a reward.

When you work at your job and get paid, you don’t thank your employer for your paycheck. Why not? Because you worked for those wages. They are something you earned, something owed to you. Even the Bible agrees with this point: “Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.”

But the gift of God is not a wage. It is a grace-gift from a Father who loves you based on his Son’s merit—not your own.

Consider This:

• How have you tried to pay for your own sins in the past?
• How will your new perspective change your approach to God and life?

Take Action:

Think about ways people try to make a positive impression on God. How can you protect yourself against doing the same thing?