5. "You say eternal life is a free gift, but what will it really cost me?"

E ternal life is free gift (Romans 6:23) because you can’t buy it, earn it or make a deal for it. It can only be given to you, but you must receive it as your own. Suppose I went to a local car dealer and bought you a brand new beautiful car, paid in full. All that would be required of you was to go to the dealer, trade in your old beat up car, and have the title and registration put in your name and drive your brand new car home. Would you not call the car a free gift because you had to take the step of going to the dealer and complete a transaction to make it legally yours? Certainly not! Would the new car do you any good if you never went to complete the transaction to make it yours? No, it would just sit there all bought and paid for but never claimed. That is like it is with the Eternal Life Jesus purchased for you on the cross. He paid the complete penalty for your sin. He purchased you a free ticket to Heaven with His own blood by dying your death for your sin. All He asks is that you make the Eternal Life that He wants to give you legally yours by completing a transaction of faith with Him. Just believe and trust Him because He cannot lie. He loves you!

What will it cost you? You must surrender your heart and life to Him. Your life will no longer belong to you but to Him. The new abundant life of peace and joy He gives you lasts forever and is no comparison to the worn out temporary life you are trading in. Matthew 16:25-26 says, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” Once you receive Him into your heart and get to know Him, it will be your greatest joy to offer your life to Him. Your only regret will be that you can’t offer Him more. Remember that you can’t fix your old life up to make it appealing to Him. He takes the trade-in of your old sinful beat up life in “as-is” condition and gives you brand new Eternal Life on the spot. How wonderful is that?