In Romans 6:23, the Apostle Paul wrote, “the wages [the payment] of sin is death…”, and he is not simply talking about physical death. This “death” is ultimately the “second death”, which involves eternal torment for those who die in their sins (Rev. 21:8). So why is sin considered so bad that the un-forgiven sinners must experience torment?
To understand, we must appreciate the nature of God and the problem of sin. God’s nature is such that it is impossible for a sinner to be acceptable before Him because He is supremely holy, and His holiness makes any “truce” with sin impossible (Ps. 5:4-6; Is. 59:1-2). Additionally, God is supremely just, and His justice demands that sin be punished accordingly (Lev. 10:1-3; Num. 20:12). As we begin to realize these two things, we should see that man is in a terrible predicament because the Bible has judged that all are guilty of sin (Rom. 3:23), and the very nature of God demands separation from sinners and punishment for our sins! Therefore, is there any way that God can be both holy and just, and yet allow sinful man to be reconciled to Him?
God has provided the way by offering Jesus as a “propitiation” for our sins (1 John 2:1-2; 4:10). This word originally referred “to an act or sacrifice that a man offered designed to appease (to satisfy) a god”, but in the Bible, it refers to what God has done, not us. He offered His Son Jesus on the cross to satisfy His wrath (Is. 53). Through Christ’s death on the cross, we can come back to God, having been forgiven of our sins. In this way, God is able to preserve His holiness when we are in His presence because our sins have been forgiven by the blood of Christ, and He is able to maintain His justice, because our sins have been properly punished by the death of Christ. All the while, God is able to demonstrate His love, grace, and mercy (Eph. 1:7).
Therefore, Jesus is the only way to forgiveness because no other way has by offered by God. As Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6). Have you accepted Jesus in the way He commanded, and His apostles taught? Have you trusted in Him for salvation (faith), made the decision to turn from your sins (repentance), and been immersed for the forgiveness of your sins (baptism)? Let Jesus be your way to forgiveness today!