Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear.But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

              Isaiah 59:1-2

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

              Romans 6:23

Whether we look at the Old Testament or the New, we see a consistent message, given to mankind, designed to lead us into a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. And with all of the religious and philosophical positions these days, it’s vital that we turn to the pages of the Bible to correctly discern truth from fiction. “The Old And The New” is designed to bring the truths of the Old Testament and the New Testament together, demonstrating this consistent, powerful, and life-changing message available to everyone who will simply pursue God with all of their heart. 

In Isaiah, we see that God is perfectly capable of saving your soul and mine. “The Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save” reflects this truth. Salvation is available to everyone who seeks after God and is made possible through Christ’s obedience on the cross, however, many will never find this saving power from God (Matthew 7:13-14). This is primarily because hearing the gospel is not enough (and there are masses of people who have yet to even hear.) But once the gospel is heard, the hearing must be united with faith in the one who hears (Hebrews 4:1-2). Spiritual transformation, through this “born again” experience, doesn’t come through religious motion. As much as we would like to think that we can just participate in ritualistic, religious motion as a means of entering into a saving relationship with God, man-made designs and efforts will never replace the necessary reality that salvation comes from surrendering our lives to Christ (Luke 9:23). Salvation is available but it only comes as we “die to ourselves” and begin living for Christ (Ephesians 4:22-24). And this new life can only be lived by the power of God’s Spirit living within our hearts, something that only exists in authentic Christians (John 7:38, Ephesians 1:19). 

So salvation is available but we have to acknowledge our spiritual depravity and need for a Savior, calling on the name of the Lord, asking Him to save us on the basis of what Christ has already accomplished on the cross (Romans 10:13). And will He hear? Listen to Isaiah, “Nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear.” God’s not short on saving power nor is He incapable of hearing us but there is a problem and it is pointed out in the next verse.

“But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God…” There it is! There’s the problem. It’s not that God cannot save or that He cannot hear, the problem lies with us. “Our iniquities” act as a means of separating us from God. This can be applied to our current life in this world but also, fearfully so, will apply to our eternal existence as well unless our spiritual condition is dealt with through an authentic conversion experience in which we surrender our lives to Jesus. This is what Paul is talking about when he says, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This is not just physical death, as even Christians go through physical death, rather this is physical and spiritual death. Consider the following:

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:14-15

And how do we know that our name is written in the book of life? When we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ and receive the Spirit of God into our lives, we know. Religion leaves many “wondering” but an authentic relationship with God though faith in Jesus Christ will result in an abundant, eternal life that begins the day you and I respond to the gospel. 

So, our sin separates us from God and our “sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.” But there is good news (for that’s the definition of the word “gospel”). 

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

              Romans 6:23

This passage not only supports what we read in Isaiah but provides the roadmap for us to receive salvation. Yes, sin separates us from God in this life and, if we die without Christ, will separate us from God eternally. This is why we should do everything in our power to share this amazing news with as many people as we can, especially our family and friends. But…”the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Salvation is a gift because of the tremendous love that God has for us (Romans 5:8). Salvation is free for the asking because it is not connected in any way to good works (Romans 3:28). It’s not a moral life that saves the human soul. It’s not religious motion that saves the human soul. Salvation comes only to those who sincerely repent (change their mind) and run to the cross by praying and “calling on the name of the Lord” for salvation (Romans 10:13). This is a personal, spiritual transaction between God and a human being and does not require the approval of any other individual. It can be accomplished whenever we are ready. God waits for us to call on Him for this salvation and the brand-new life that He so desires for us to enjoy but it comes only when we forsake the world and its ways and turn to Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

Separation from God or living in fellowship with Him? Why would anyone choose the former? The wages of sin is death both now and in eternity and our sin is the culprit in our being separated from God but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord! Why not surrender your life to Him today and begin the greatest adventure you could ever imagine!

…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

    Romans 10:9-10