Romans 6 “²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

All of mankind has tasted death ever since the creation of the world.

We die because of sin and after death, there will be judgment on the last day.

Hebrews 9 “²⁷ Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,”

Without Christ, every human being dies in their sins to face condemnation and wrath.

God raised Jesus from the dead, giving the world notice that everyone will also be resurrected to be judged.

Acts 17 “³⁰ The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent, ³¹ because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.”

On that last day of the world, God will raise the dead to judge everyone. Only those whose names are in the book of Life will be saved.

Revelation 20 “¹¹ I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. ¹² I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. ¹⁴ Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.”

God has no favorites because He will judge everyone by the same standard.

Romans 2 ” the righteous judgment of God; ⁶ who “will pay back to everyone according to their works:” ⁷ to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life; ⁸ but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath, indignation, ⁹ oppression, and anguish on every soul of man who does evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. ¹⁰ But glory, honor, and peace go to every man who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. ¹¹ For there is no partiality with God.”

We are not saved by works but by grace through faith alone – but the saving faith will produce good fruit of love and righteousness.

We cannot save ourselves by our works. This is why God loves us so much – because He knows that the only thing that can pay for our sins is death. Jesus Christ the glorious Son of God who created all things, left His glory because of the Father’s great love for the world.

Romans 5 “⁶ For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a good person someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

He chose to humble Himself by becoming an ordinary man who did not sin and yet He died brutally and horrifically to forgive our sins.

The suffering and death of Christ is the only atonement for our sin and death. No good works of man could forgive our sins.

It’s because sin results in death – therefore only the shedding of blood can forgive our sins – and not just any blood – but the holy and sinless blood of God.

Matthew 26 “²⁷ He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it, ²⁸ for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins. “

This is why God became a man – Jesus Christ – who did not sin but He died for our sins and rose from the dead.

When we believe and trust in Him, we are saved – thereby dying to their own sins and living to God righteously.

1st Peter 2 “²³ When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds. ²⁵ For you were going astray like sheep; but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.“

God saw us lost in our sins and death and therefore He had mercy and compassion, loving us so much that He imputed all our sin on the cross of Christ so that He can impute His righteousness to us. Therefore let us reconcile to God through faith in Christ, not living for our sins anymore but for the One who died for our sins!

2nd Corinthians 5 “⁹ Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him. ¹⁰ For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ that each one may receive the things in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad…….¹⁴ For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died. ¹⁵ He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again…..¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. ¹⁸ But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.“

When we see the awesome love and the seriousness of the cross, let this be our response:

Romans 12 “Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. ² Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God…..⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good.”

May God grant us grace to do so. In Jesus’ name, Amen.