How to Receive a Free Gift

Several years ago, a farmer tore down his old, dilapidated barn. His neighbor, watching the whole process from across the road, went over and inquired about the wood. The farmer said, “You can have it for nothing. I’ll just give it to you. The only thing is, you’ll have to come haul it away yourself.”

Question: Was the wood a free gift?

Answer: Yes. The neighbor didn’t have to buy

it; nor was it owed to him.

Question: Did the neighbor have to “do”

something in order to receive that free gift?

Answer: Yes. He had to go onto the farmer’s

property, he had to load up the wood, and he

had to haul it away himself.

The Bible speaks of salvation as being a “free gift” from God (Rom. 6:23). Because of this, many are convinced that one does not need to do anything to obtain it – for it is free after all. But is this really true?

In the Old Testament God promised to give the children of Israel the land of Canaan freely (Exod. 6:4; Deut. 10:11). They did nothing to earn it, and they did not pay God for it; it was a free gift. Yet, in order to take possession of it....

• They had to make spiritual preparation

(Josh. 1:1-9)

• They had to prepare provisions (1:11)

• They had to cross over the Jordan River

(chapter 3)

• They had to defeat the peoples of the land:

➢Central campaign: Jericho & Ai (ch. 6-8)

➢Southern campaign: the coalition of the

Canannite kings (ch. 9-10)

➢Northern campaign: the coalition of the

kings of the north, led by Jabin (ch. 11)

• They had to eliminate Canaanite idolatry

and influence throughout the land (23:6-13)

• Etc., etc., etc.

God gave Israel the land of Canaan as a free gift, however, that did not exclude effort on Israel’s part. They had to “do” something to receive it (many things, in fact).

The same is true regarding the free gift of salvation in Christ. While it is a “free gift,” one has to “do” something to obtain it (Heb. 10:36; Rev. 2:10). For example, Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved...” (Mk. 16:16). Friends, what are you willing to “do” to receive the free gift of God’s salvation?

Aaron Veyon