So, who doesn’t like receiving a gift? Especially when it’s a gift into which a lot of thought has gone. The sort of gift that just “nails it” . . . the “it’s just what I wanted or needed” sort of gift. The sort of gift which, beyond just loving the gift, you love the giver because of their thoughtfulness and generosity. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an expensive gift . . . although, it might be . . . but the real value goes beyond the price tag.

This morning, as I wrap up Romans 5 I’m led to think about such a gift. A very expensive gift . . . it came at an extremely high price. A gift which I would never be able to purchase for myself . . . something that, apart from the having been given it, I would never have owned. Nor would I have thought to have owned it . . . not really something that was on my radar or “wish list” . . . such a perfect gift that, for years, I didn’t even know it existed. But when I found out that such a gift existed . . . when I received it . . . it became pretty evident pretty quickly that it was the perfect gift. Though, at the time it wasn’t “just what I wanted”, it was very much “just what I needed.” Fit like a glove. Opened up new worlds of potential. Literally changed my life . . . from the inside out. Re-wired me. Some 30+ years later the gift has not lost a bit of its shine. In fact, the gift is more beautiful today than the day I first received it . . . has gotten better and better. Not something that has sat on the shelf, but something that I put on pretty much every day . . . and the days I don’t . . . well, those typically have not been very good days. What a gift!

This gift was given by the grace of one Man (5:15b). Some gifts are given because they are earned . . . this gift was beyond earning . . . just couldn’t do it, even if I wanted to (which I didn’t). The gift was given solely because of grace . . . because of unmerited favor . . . because the Giver determined in and of Himself to give the gift. He presented me with the gift not because I merited it . . . but because, thought I didn’t recognize it at the time, I desperately needed it. And He loved me so much that we went to great lengths to secure the gift and patiently present it to me . . . free of charge . . . all I needed to do was receive it by faith . . . and even that faith He was prepared to gift me with, if I was but willing to exercise it. This one Man was Jesus Christ. The One who claimed to be the Son of God and through many convincing proofs, not the least of which was His resurrection from the dead, validated that claim. And the Son of God purchased and presented the gift to me. What a gift!

The gift brought justification (5:16). Unlike some gifts which are given because someone has done something good, this gift was given because of all that I did which was bad. It was because of my sin that I needed the gift. In all fairness, my transgressions needed to be judged . . . the only verdict which would have been fair would have been “guilty” . . . the only just result would have been “condemned.” But, because of the gift, the verdict was completely reversed. Instead of “condemned” being found next to my name, the Book of Life now shows “justified” written in red. The gift not only covered the price for my sin, but also imparted to me something that makes it “just-as-if-I’d-never sinned” . . . justified. I’m not some ex-con . . . I’m a new creature. I’m not some second class citizen of heaven, I’m a child of God . . . adopted into His family, soon to partake as a joint heir with Christ. All because of the gift. What a gift!

And Paul calls it “the gift of righteousness” (5:17). It is packaged in the “abundance of grace” . . . imparted to all who will receive it . . . and results in ability to “reign in life” through Jesus Christ. It is His righteousness given to me. That’s why I couldn’t earn it . . . that’s why I’m declared justified . . . because the very righteousness of the Perfect Son of God has been given to me through the all-sufficient provision of grace. And it’s not some gift that sits on the shelf . . . not a trophy that I just look at it. No, it’s a garment . . . something I can put on on daily . . . something that is very practical . . . something that can make a huge difference in how I live life . . . something that allows me to live as a king’s heir here and now . . . something that promises eternal benefits there and then . . . “that grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (5:21b).

Who doesn’t like a gift? Oh, that I might never take for granted the gift or the Giver . . . that I might offer to the Giver my gift of praise . . . for His glory . . . oh, what a gift!