The Wages of Sin Is Death

by Doy Moyer

“For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23).

Why should death have been the penalty for sin?

In short, because we have disregarded the Giver of all life and breath and all things. If in our own pride we try to usurp God and take His throne and His glory for ourselves, why should we think that He ought to continue to grant us life and breath? We cannot think that we can disregard the Giver and then also steal life from Him as if it is ours to decide. Death is the attention-getter that helps us understand how egregious sin is. There can be no life in sin, but only death. The repeated “And he died” in Genesis 5 reminds us of this fact.

“…but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

This is why the gospel is so great. The Giver of Life is willing to give us life again, but to make this offer, He first took death upon Himself — the One who gives life suffered death so that He, with full justice, can offer life again to those who deserved the death. This is love.

Physical death is always a reminder of what sin did in this world as the Giver of all life was spurned, but this death is not permanent death. Eternal life in Christ our Lord is offered, with Him having defeated death through the resurrection. God gives life. Death will never have the final word (I Corinthians 15:50-58).