The Gift

Surprise

This verse has been widely misunderstood. The meaning of the Greek word for gift is charisma. A correct understanding of charisma is vital to the understanding of this verse.

Context

One of the principles for interpreting scripture is that it must not contradict itself. If one were to quote the second half of this verse, “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”, understanding gift in the context of the English meaning would result in a contradiction with verse 22.

^{Romans 6:20}For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. ²¹What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. ²²But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. ²³For the wages of sin is death; but the gift <charisma> of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Verse 23 summarizes verses 20-22. Verses 20 and 21 are summarized by the first half of verse 23. 

The wages of sin is death is equivalent to The end of those things (sin) is death.

In order for the second half of verse 23 to be equivalent to verse 22, the gift would have to be equivalent to the end of righteousness. The Greek word for gift is charisma, so charisma is the word that needs to be investigated. According to the Abarim website:

The noun χαρισμα (charisma), meaning a “joy-ising”; the result of a joy-causing act, the effect of a deed that leads to security, diversity and connectedness. This word is used to describe spiritual “gifts”, which are not simply talents that are given to whoever has them (1 TIMOTHY 4:14), but rather manifestations of security, diversity and connectedness of the collective as a result of someone doing something conductive. 

A result is equivalent to end. Righteousness is a deed that leads to security, diversity and connectedness. That deed is done by someone doing something conductive. It looks like the person doing the deed has to be capable of righteousness but looks can be deceiving. 

^{Romans 6:12}Let not therefore sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: but yield yourselves to God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Conductive is equivalent to someone yielding their members to God, where God does the righteous deed using the members of his servant.

We are told, and rightly so, that we are not capable of righteousness. But God, using our yielded members is capable of righteousness. Apart from God, we are not capable of performing righteous deeds, but our members are capable of righteousness when yielded to the Holy Spirit.

The English word, gift, does not characterize the Greek word charisma, and is therefore misleading. Using Romans 6:23 to support a theological concept, without a clear explanation of gift, probably would make the validity of that concept questionable.

Charisma is the result of a deed done in us by the Holy Spirit. Charisma is a gift, but using that word in the context of this verse contradicts everything Paul had been saying leading up to this verse.

It is interesting that verse 23 is the only verse from Romans 6 that we are encouraged to memorize. When we interpret this verse using the English meaning of the words – and why wouldn’t we – our understanding contradicts everything Paul described in the prior 22 verses.