Why is Jesus’ death and resurrection a free gift when we are called to change our ways? Aren’t we effectively sacrificing our ways for this new life Jesus supposedly offers?
This is a good question that people rarely ask. It arises from a misunderstanding of what our salvation is all about, which often is caused by our avoiding discussing sin.
Let’s firstly look at the situation man is in.
When Adam and Eve sinned they were banished from God’s presence. This is the consequence of the wrath of God, the nature of God that stands in opposition to sin. Sin cannot be tolerated by God.
However, as you read in the Old Testament, sin continued its downward spiral. The wrath of God poured out in judgement but God spared Noah. But this did not stem the corruption of man. Even with a special relationship with God, with clear instructions about righteous behaviour, a glorious history of powerful interventions, miracles, prophets—Israel continued to sin and even chased after other gods. At the end of the Old Testament Israel despite all that God had done could not escape God’s judgement. Israel the nation was destroyed and the Temple was but a shadow of of its former glory.
It is clear that even when they know God and they know what needs to be done, man is incapable of overcoming sin. Thus man remained in the situation where God’s wrath will destroy him.
This is your situation. You may not acknowledge it but as described by Paul in Romans 7, even when you want to be righteous sin will still overcome you. Your willpower is not sufficient to overcome the power of sin. But that means that you remain under God’s judgement, condemned to taste the wrath of God.
So to your second question “Aren’t we effectively sacrificing our ways for this new life Jesus supposedly offers?”, the answer is yes, if you regard choosing life over death a sacrifice; if you consider a life of sin better than a life of righteousness.
As to your first question “Why is Jesus’ death and resurrection a free gift when we are called to change our ways?” you need to realise that the call to change your ways is the call to save yourself from the wrath of God. You are free to disregard the call and face the consequence. But if you answer the call to escape the judgement of God, the fact remains that you are incapable of changing your ways. You cannot save yourself even when you want to.
Jesus’ death and resurrection gives you the power to overcome sin. The goal is to overcome sin and Jesus’ death and resurrection gives you the power to do so through the Holy Spirit. I do not wish to go into detail on the theology behind it except to say that Jesus’ death and resurrection allows the Holy Spirit to enter your life and that makes all the difference. Romans 8 is Paul’s answer to Romans 7.
What you need to realise is that all this was done by Jesus before you have done anything. It is free in the sense that it is all done without requiring additional input from you. It is free in that it does not require you to meet a certain standard first. BUT it is only available to those who wants what it offers, the ability to say no to sin and yes to God, and receive all the accompanying benefits, because that is what it achieves.