"Sin is paid by death..."
The more traditional version is: "For the wages of sin is death."
I meditated for a minute or two on this newer translation, allowing it to sink in deeply. Death itself pays us when we sin continually and repeatedly. So, I began to contemplate what that 'death' really looks like because there certainly is a lot of sin in the world around us (and we too are sinners), but we don't see 'literal' death happening every time someone is engaged in sin. So, I've concluded the following about what this "death" looks like as a result of sin:
Death in relationships and life to conflicts of every kind.
Death in motivation to move forward in life and life to lethargy, passivity and general malaise.
Death in perspectives on life and situations and life to moroseness and directionlessness.
Death in vitality and life to laziness.
Death in selflessness and life to self-centeredness.
Death in Spirit-filled living and life to living out of our soulish nature.
Death in life-giving thoughts and life to stinkin' thinkin'!
NOTHING good results from sin....nothing. The devil truly is a liar, but we have bought into his lies and given ourselves over to that which ushers in death, and in doing so, instead of being carriers of life, we are carriers of death.
Sorry this is such a heavy blog post....but the reality is that many people seem to think they can engage in sin and be "ok" because they are not seeing 'death' in the traditional way resulting. In fact, they believe they are gaining life, but it's a completely false reality.
I will end with the second half of that verse:
"But the GIFT OF GOD is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus!"
God Himself has given us a way OUT of sin and it's a GIFT to be received, which brings nothing but LIFE! That gift is Jesus, the eternal one, living, moving and breathing inside of us when we choose, by grace, to walk in Him!
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