Nowadays, the media is full of commentaries regarding the cost of living, including reports on the price of energy, food, housing, medical care, transportation, education, and of course, daily accounts of the fluctuating value of our Canadian dollar. To us, the term “cost of living” applies strictly to what we have to pay for our everyday “goods and services”, those things which we see as necessities of life, and what income bracket we will need to be in to enjoy our desired lifestyle.
In spiritual terms, however, the Bible has much to say about living that is in no way connected to material things. Scripture speaks repeatedly about the life of our soul. There is another life to be lived, an eternal one. It is available at, amazingly, no cost at all to us. But, as most of us have learned through experience, there is nothing in life that is truly “free.” Whenever we see that term used in an advertisement for some product, we immediately realize that there must be a cost somewhere for the deal that we are being offered.
God’s offer of eternal life is indeed free to each person who will receive it by faith in Jesus Christ, and what He did on our behalf, by taking the punishment we deserve for our sin. But He paid the price for this life, for the debt incurred by our sin, the cost for the “living” that will go on forever, and not end when our physical bodies reach the limit of their endurance. This price is one we could never pay; “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6.)
Life keeps us busy, and we all are focused on the here and now, with its many demands. At this time of year, tradition turns our attention once more to the universal symbol of Christianity, the Cross of Christ. As we go through each day, “making our living”, and attending to all the details of life, it reminds us of the ultimate price that was paid, for the greatest gift of all, the gift of eternal life.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23.)
Originally published as an article in "The Millbrook Times"
