Wages are what sin earns — death; God’s gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ, received by faith and never earned by works.
Les Feldick points to the word “gift” in Romans 6:23 as the key. As soon as a person contributes anything to the cost of a gift, it is no longer a gift. Ephesians 2:8–9 makes plain that salvation is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one can boast.
Romans 6:23 — This verse directly contrasts the wages of sin (death) with the gift of God (eternal life through Jesus Christ), which is the heart of the question.
Ephesians 2:8-9 — This passage explains that salvation is a gift, not of works, and therefore cannot be earned.
Romans 6:23 draws the Bible’s clearest contrast between wages and a gift: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Death is what sin earns. Eternal life is what God gives. Ephesians 2:8–9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Salvation is not a reward for effort; it is a gift. Romans 4:4–5 reinforces the same truth: “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” The one who works receives a debt; the one who believes receives righteousness.
Les Feldick makes the word “gift” the center of Romans 6:23. He paraphrases the verse to show that the wages old Adam pays are death, “the second death again, eternal doom,” while the flipside is that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. He says, “As soon as you contribute something to the cost of that gift, it’s no longer a gift.” Les applies this directly to salvation. People cannot meet God’s criteria or claim to be good enough to enter heaven. The first step on the road to salvation is recognizing that in ourselves we are lost. No amount of church membership, baptism, giving to the poor, or other religious activity can pay for salvation. Those are works, and God will not recognize them for salvation. Ephesians 2:8–9, as Les explains, says salvation is by grace through faith, “that not of yourselves,” and “not of works, lest any man should boast.” Les also clarifies that works have their place after salvation. “Now, we can work after it,” he says, “but you can’t work for it.” When someone simply receives the gift by faith, God does everything that needs to be done.
In Romans 6:23 the Bible says the wages of sin is death. Les Feldick paraphrases this as the wages that old Adam pays, which is death, “the second death again, eternal doom.” This is what sin earns and what a lost person deserves.
Les says everyone likes gifts, but as soon as you contribute something to the cost of a gift, it is no longer a gift — it becomes payment. In the same way, if human works or efforts are added to salvation, it ceases to be a gift and becomes something owed.
Les says baptism is a work that you have decided to do. Church membership, visiting the sick, giving to the poor — all of these are works. In their proper place, after salvation, that is what God expects. But the world out there is trying to do them for salvation, and it won’t work. God won’t recognize it. As Les puts it, “They cannot join enough churches. They cannot go through enough baptisms.” Then it’s no longer a gift.
Les teaches that the first step of faith on the road to salvation is to recognize that in ourselves we are lost, like sheep without a shepherd, separated because of the fall of Adam. When someone asks, “Why should God let you into His heaven?” the answer cannot be that we are good enough; the answer is that we need God’s gift.
Recognizing Our Lost Condition
The first step toward salvation is recognizing we are lost and cannot meet God’s criteria, which sets up the need for God’s gift.
The Gift in Romans 6:23
The key word in Romans 6:23 is “gift”; the wages of old Adam are death and eternal doom, while the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Salvation Is a Gift, Not a Wage
Ephesians 2:8-9 shows salvation is a gift; no one can work for a gift, though we can and should work after salvation.
Grace Through Faith, Not Works
By grace through faith, salvation is the gift of God; you cannot work for or merit a gift.
Gifts Are Not Deserved or Earned
A true gift is something we don’t deserve, work for, or merit; God gave salvation out of the goodness of His heart.
Works Cannot Earn Salvation
Baptism and other religious activities are works; they are expected after salvation but cannot earn it.
You Cannot Put God in Debt
Those who try to work for salvation earn a reward of debt, not grace; you can never put God in debt.
Faith Is the Vehicle for the Gift
Faith is the vehicle by which God’s gift is received; joining churches and going through baptisms cannot accomplish it, and works would lead to boasting.
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This is the foundational verse that contrasts the wages of sin with the gift of God.
Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
This verse states clearly that salvation is a gift, not a payment for works.
Romans 4:4-5: Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
This passage explains the difference between earning a reward and receiving righteousness by faith.
Romans 5:15: 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.
This verse shows that the free gift through Christ abounds even where sin has brought death.
The key word is “gift.” Les says that as soon as you contribute something to the cost of a gift, it is no longer a gift. Eternal life is God’s gift through Jesus Christ our Lord.
No. Les says baptism is a work that you decide to do, and church membership is also a work. Works have their place after salvation, but God will not recognize them as payment for salvation.
Yes. Les says, “Now, we can work after it, but you can’t work for it.” After salvation, works are what God expects, but they never make salvation something we earned.
Watch the Teaching: How Can You Know You're Saved? The Plan of Salvation in Scripture