This puts me in mind of the memory verse I had impressed on me as a young boy:
"THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD". (ROMANS 6:23)
I was taught that sin earns death. The sin of Adam and Eve earned death for themselves and all of unredeemed mankind, and since there is nothing anyone can do to earn redemption it has to be a gift.
Some people don't want the gift of eternal life because they don't believe they need it, and in this they earn death.
Adam was told that when he ate of the fruit he would surely die. He ate.
He did die. But not physically. A physically dead man does not run and hide and put on fig leaves.
This is what needs to be understood. Once understood other aspects of salvation and our spiritual lives can be better understood.
Adam ate the fruit and died *spiritually.*
That is why Jesus said that man needs to be born again.
Romans 6:23? Look at the context of verses 20-23
When you were slaves to sin, you were excluded from the control of righteousness.
What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of?
Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and
have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is
eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord."
As you can see by what I bolded out that they had experienced 'death.' Its not about physical death. We need to be concerned about not walking in the flesh = spiritual death.
When we walk in our ignorance of truth and in the power of the flesh? We walk in spiritual death. Does not have to be malicious. May even be dumb and well intentioned.
In contrast. When we have learned and obtained a rich supply of Bible doctrine,. And, learn how to walk in the Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God. God is eternal life! The gift of God is Eternal life. We are receiving eternal life as we do the will of God for our life.
Sin? We work for wages = spiritual death. We earn death.
God's gift is not a wage. We do not work for it. Eternal life. We are to work in our thinking as to avoid spiritual death, and keep growing in knowledge by grace. Grace is walking in the Spirit.
Some believers who are guilt ridden try doing good works in the energy of their flesh. Religion rules over them. They may do great deeds in the eyes of men. But, they are dead works. Death.
Wages = they work for and earn death.
God's free gift. Not worked for. = Walking in the Spirit and in truth = experiencing eternal life.
grace and peace ........