Bottled Water Binge

We are starting the New Week Off with Through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men. —Romans 5:18 Here in the United States, we’ve been on a bottled water binge for a number of years. Even though most people have a safe supply of water that is free and readily available from faucets and drinking fountains, they still purchase bottled water. Choosing to pay for something that I can enjoy at no cost doesn’t make sense to me, but some people believe that a product they pay for is superior to anything they receive free. This sometimes carries over into our spiritual lives. Some struggle to accept that salvation is a gift. They want to do something to earn it. The problem is, no one can afford it. The price of salvation is perfection (Matt. 19:21), and Jesus is the only person who could pay the price (Rom. 5:18). To anyone who thirsts, He promises to “give of the fountain of the water of life freely” (Rev. 21:6). Some people try to purchase the living water of salvation with good deeds and charitable donations. Although these are forms of spiritual service valued by God, they are not what God requires for the forgiveness of our sin. Jesus already paid the price by dying in our place, and He offers to quench our spiritual thirst when we drink freely from God’s fountain that will never run dry. —Julie Ackerman Link Jesus is the Living Water— Just one drink will make you whole; Drawing daily from that wellspring Brings refreshment to the soul. —D. DeHaan Jesus is the only fountain who can satisfy the thirsty soul. Bible in a year: Judges 11-12; Luke 6:1-26 Insight Earlier in Romans, Paul had proven that all people are sinners (1:18–3:18) and shown how they can be justified through faith in Jesus (3:19–4:25). In today’s text, Paul explains how the disobedience of Adam as our representative resulted in death for all (vv.12,19), while Christ’s act of obedience brought the gift of life (vv.18,21).