Sin and Death

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Background
Much of the modern world just celebrated the birth of a man born to die. I even joined in the festivities! For me, Christmas has been and will continue to be a time to cherish friends and family. But that also means that it is a very busy time, so this week's study will be a short study.

One mantra familiar in almost every branch of Christianity is that we die because of sins, we die physically because we live in a world of sin, and Jesus died paying the price for our sins. Is the price really paid? Let us think about this...

Sin and Death
Way back in the Garden of Eden, God said to Adam in Genesis 2:16-17:

"You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." NIV

I think it is important to note that God does not mention anything about the afterlife here. It is plain and simple. God didn't say “for when you eat of it, after you die, you will go to Hell,” nor did He say “for when you eat of it, after you die, you will not go to Heaven.” God told Adam and Eve that they would die, as in physically cease to live, if they sinned by eating the forbidden fruit. The punishment, the price, for their sin is physical death.

So, if we can extrapolate this, it is because we sin that we die today. Think I overreach? Consider these verses:

Romans 5:12

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned" NIV

Romans 6:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." NIV

So then, sin = death. The punishment, the wages, the price of sin is physical death.

Now then, Jesus died for our sins. For all of our sins. For all time.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. NIV

Sinless Jesus received the punishment, paid the wage, paid the price for sin to make everything right between the Saved and God.

With that said, this is my question: If Jesus paid the price for sin, why do the Saved still die?

God did not mention anything about an afterlife to Adam and Eve. Death was it. Death was final. And death was due to sin.

You could claim that the Saved die because they live in the Fallen World that is permeated with sin. Scientifically, you could describe the deficiencies of our bodies or nourishment. However, this discounts the power of God. God could keep the Saved alive if He wanted to do so. I will leave you with His words:

Matthew 4:4

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' " NIV