The 'gift' in Romans 6:23 shows that eternal life is freely given by God through Jesus Christ and cannot be earned by any human work.
Les Feldick points out that wages are earned by what you do, but a gift is something you do not deserve and cannot work for. A lost person's works only pile up wages that lead to death, while the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore salvation is a gift, not something to be earned or merited.
Romans 6:23 — This is the verse in question, directly contrasting earned wages (death) with God's free gift (eternal life).
Romans 6:23 states, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The verse sets up a clear contrast: sin earns wages, and those wages are death; eternal life is described not as something earned but as a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8–9 reinforces this: "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." The Bible nowhere presents eternal life as payment for human effort—it is consistently called God's gift.
Les emphasizes that wages are always earned by work, while a gift is undeserved and cannot be earned. The old Adamic nature we are born with produces only death, and everything a lost person does—good or bad—piles up wages for eternal doom. The second half of Romans 6:23 presents the flip side: the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Les stresses that the moment you try to work for a gift, it ceases to be a gift. Salvation is a gift; you can work after it, but you can never work for it. He connects this to Ephesians 2:8–9 and Romans 8:2, showing that faith is the vehicle that receives the gift and that anything added to faith turns salvation into wages rather than a gift.
Paul contrasts wages and gift. Wages are earned for what you have done, and the old Adamic nature produces only death; everything a lost person does, good or bad, piles up wages for eternal doom. A gift is something you do not deserve and cannot work for, and the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Les points out that if you work to pay for a gift, it is no longer a gift—it becomes payment.
Les is emphatic that no one can do one iota of work to earn salvation. He says those who think they must work for their salvation "are flying in the face of this Book" because salvation is a gift. The Scriptures say salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, lest any man should boast. Faith is the vehicle that receives the gift; nothing else—not church membership, baptism, or any other work—can add to it.
Les teaches that we can work after salvation, but not for it. The saved person, having been made free from old Adam and become a servant of God, produces fruit that honors God—something the old Adam could never produce. While the saved enter into eternal life in God's presence, those who let old Adam reign and reject the gift face the second death—eternal separation from God.
Old Adam's Fruit vs. the Gift
Les shows that after salvation the believer becomes a servant of God and produces different fruit, while remaining in old Adam leads to the second death—the backdrop for Paul's contrast in Romans 6:23.
Wages vs. Gift
Les explains that wages are earned by what you do, but a gift is undeserved; eternal life is a gift you cannot earn.
Romans 6:23 in Evangelism
Les encourages using Romans 6:23 to show that wages are worked for and never a gift, making it clear that eternal life is the gift of God.
By Grace Through Faith
Les ties Romans 6:23 to Ephesians 2:8–9, showing that salvation is the gift of God and not anything we can do.
Working After, Not For
Les stresses that if you work to pay for a gift it stops being a gift; salvation cannot be worked for, although you can work after it.
Flying in the Face of Scripture
Les says that insisting you must do something for salvation contradicts the Book, because salvation is a gift you do not deserve, work for, or merit.
The Law of the Spirit of Life
Les connects the gift of eternal life through Christ to Romans 8:2, where the law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and death.
Faith Is the Vehicle
Les explains that grace makes salvation possible and faith is the vehicle; the gift of God cannot be earned by church membership, baptisms, or any other work.
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The central verse of this page: it contrasts earned wages (death) with the free gift of eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Shows that salvation is not from ourselves but is the gift of God.
Ephesians 2:9: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Clarifies that the gift of salvation is not earned by works, so no one can boast.
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.
Paul's earlier contrast between Adam's offense and the free gift that comes through Christ.
Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Les connects this verse to Romans 6:23 to show that the Spirit's law in Christ sets believers free from sin and death.
No. Les Feldick explains that wages are earned, but eternal life is a gift. As soon as you work to earn it, it is no longer a gift. Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works.
No. Les says you cannot do one iota of work to earn salvation. Faith is the vehicle that receives the gift, but the gift itself is entirely from God.
Les teaches that those who let old Adam reign and reject the gift face the second death—eternal separation from God, with no contact with their Creator.
Wages are what you earn by your work; a gift is undeserved and cannot be earned. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Watch the Teaching: The Wages of Sin vs. the Gift of God — Romans 6:23 Explained