The Free Gift of God

Jesus warned about the broad road that leads to destruction and urged everyone to travel on the narrow road that leads to life. We are all on a path to one destination or another. The apostle Paul notes that we were once slaves of sin, heading toward eternal death under God's righteous judgment, but now we who have trusted in the work of our Lord Jesus Christ are slaves of righteousness - enslaved to God - and the outcome of our path is eternal life; loving and enjoying Him forever. One way that we know we are on the road to eternal life is sanctification, gradually becoming more like our Savior. Growth in holiness is both an indication of the Holy Spirit's work within us and the result of righteous choices and works that He enables us to do. We can't earn eternal life - it is God's free gift to us - but we play a role in becoming "conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29) as we make holy choices empowered by the Holy Spirit.