The wages of sin is death - whose death? Roman 6:23

Recently we've been reconsidering many of the things we thought we understood regarding doctrine and faith. We have begun to question certain beliefs, church structures, and practices of the western church. Too often we have discovered what we think are unbiblical doctrines and activities. This causes us concern. We have deemed this our “Rethink.”

Our questions include, how did we arrive at our doctrines? Does the Bible really teach what we think it teaches? Why do churches do what they do? What is the biblical basis of church leadership structure? Why do certain traditions get entrenched?

It's easy to be spoon fed the conventional wisdom, but it's an entirely separate thing to search these things out for one's self. In the past we have read the Bible with these unexamined understandings and interpreted what we read through those lenses. We were too lazy about our Bible study, assuming that pastors and theologians were telling us the truth, but we rarely checked it out for ourselves.

Therefore, these Rethinks are our attempt to remedy the situation.

We should note that there is more than one way to interpret doctrine, more than one way to think about the faith, and more than one way to read the Scriptures. We would not suggest that our way is the only way, or the right way; we are not Bible scholars. But we believe that one doesn't need to be in order to rightly divide the Word of God.

Introduction

Ro. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is a well-known and oft-quoted verse, communicating a substantial spiritual truth. No real Christian would dispute the idea that sin and death are connected, and that Jesus died to wash away our sins and give us life. So that is how we tend to apply this verse. That is, the payment we each receive for our sin is death, and Jesus took our place and made that payment for our sin as a free gift for us. 

However, we would suggest that Jesus did not pay for our sins, He paid for us. 

And, He did not take our place (see our discussion here.)

The problem is, we think the wages of OUR sin is the topic, but it is a mistake to instantly insert ourselves into this or any Bible verse. We should consider if it might be possible that Paul was discussing something else. It's critically important that we keep the context of Paul's train of thought in mind and not take this verse as an isolated statement. 

The Context

Be patient as we explain. First, note in the verse that death is the result of sin. Sin results in death. Pretty simple. But Paul's context is specific. In the prior chapter, Romans 5, he had written about the results of a particular sin, the sin of Adam:

Ro. 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...

Because of Adam's sin death came into the world. Adam's sin caused death. For everyone. This death reigned from Adam to Moses (Ro. 5:14), but the gift is different than trespass (Ro. 5:15). 

Now Paul starts to expand his discourse: 

• Many died (not "many sinned") by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many (vs. 15). 

• Death reigned (not "sin reigned") through one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ (vs. 17). 

• Just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men (not "sin for all men"), so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men (vs. 18).

• Just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made (show to be) sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made  (show to be) righteous (vs19).

• Just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (vs. 21).

See it? Paul pounds it into us, making the same point over and over. One man's sin brought death and condemnation into the world. One man's sin resulted in death to all mankind. One man's sin had a particular effect, death. However, one Man's grace gifts many with righteousness. One Man's death brought life to many. One man is life to dead things.

One man vs. one Man. One man's sin = death for many. One Man's grace = life for many. It isn't about our individual sin. Paul was not referring to you. 

It takes most of chapter 5 and all of chapter 6 for Paul to arrive at the subject verse:

Ro. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Adam's sin brought death to everyone. Adam was the one who was paid for his sin. He, the one man, earned death for all. Jesus, the one Man, brought life. 

This is not a isolated verse. Paul makes the same point in his first letter to the Corinthian church:

1Co. 15:21-22 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

In Adam we all die. The death that came from Adam's sin is man's actual problem. 

Everyone is Already Dead

Death and condemnation is the default state of mankind: 

Jn. 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Ro. 5:16 Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 

1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

Your first breath was as a dead man. Condemned already. You weren't born a sinner, you were born into death, the death that came from Adam's sin. Yes, your sin is grievous to God, but sinning is what dead, condemned people do. 

Consider this: If sinners are already condemned, presently dead. They will not be judged for their sin, because they are dead already, they are in effect already judged. 

Condemned already. Judgment was issued before you drew your first breath as a dead man.

The living dead will stand before the Throne (Re. 20:11), and only one thing is determined: Are they still dead or have they been made alive:

Re. 20:15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

At the beginning of creation, no one's name was in there. Everyone started dead and condemned. Everyone who has lived and will live is not currently written in the book of life, yet when they are saved their names get written down. 

We realize this might be an astonishing statement. But look it up. Try to find a verse that says God will examine or review unsaved peoples' sins and then execute judgment on them upon completion of that examination.

So, when we are saved, the precise transaction is that we pass from death to life:

Jn. 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

Without the resurrection, we are still dead (1Co. 15:17). But a particular thing happens when we are saved, beyond getting our sins forgiven. We are born again, justified, and baptized in the Spirit. Jesus defeated Death (1Co. 15:53-54), and those He saves are written in the book of life. Dead peoples' names are not written there.

It's an important distinction, because we have this idea that a transaction or payment or legal determination happens for every individual sinner. We think Jesus made payment for every person's individual sin, one at a time. He didn't. We think the Father punished Him instead of us. This simply isn't true. 

Because everyone is dead, the only transaction that ever happens is the moment when Jesus speaks our names and washes us by the blood: Our sins are forgiven, we come alive, and He gives us a new name (Re. 2:17) as born again people and writes that name in the book of life (Re. 3:5).

Conclusion

The wages of your sin is not death. You're already dead and are a dead sinner, until the moment when Jesus forgives your sin and makes you alive. The wages of Adam's sin was death to all creation. Jesus' victory is victory over death, the death brought by Adam's sin. 

Jesus' victory was victory over the grave. We partake of His resurrection (Ro. 6:5) and are brought from death to life. His blood washed our sins, and His resurrection defeated death. Both needed to be done. We need both.

Consider these verses in the context of our new understanding:

2 Timothy 1:10 
And which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

Galatians 2:20 
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.