The Degrees of Your Sin and Reward Romans 6:23

Romans 6:23 NASB95

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

The Wages of Sin

The cost of sin

Ephesians 4:22 NKJV

that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

Ephesians 4:23–24 NKJV

and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Colossians 3:9–10 NKJV

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

Romans 6:6 NKJV

knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

Degree of Sin

Matthew 5:28 NASB95

but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

If I lust after you I have depersonalized you and turned you into an object and I have insulted your dignity.

Yet, it is not at the same level as committing the actual act of adultery which destroys the spouse and children of possibly two homes.

Matthew 5:21–22 NASB95

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

if I hate you as a person then I would certainly diminish your joy and would be an attack on your beingness by my sinning against you

But if I murder you, I would make your spouse a widow and your children orphans, I would remove you physically from this world with a destruction of the image of God.

Jesus never taught that Lust is as bad as Adultery or that hate is as bad as murder.

Jesus is teaching a proper understanding of the law as He is dealing with the pharisees

The law which God gives, “Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery is not so easily maintained and kept with integrity if one merely refrains from the abysmal act of adultery.”

Whether you lust or commit adultery your are guilty of the breaking of the law.

The Rich Young Ruler

John Calvin discussing mortal and venial sins said,

“All Sin is mortal in the sense that it deserves death. No sin is mortal in that it can destroy our saving grace.”

All of our sins are a form of cosmic treason

I am more intelligent

I am more righteous

I am more wise

I am more powerful

John 3:19 NASB95

“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

Paul warnes

Romans 2:5 NASB95

But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

The Gift of God

Christ Jesus Our Lord (God Gave)

John 3:16 NASB95

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

The Result of the Gift

Eternal Life

2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB95

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Good Works

Ephesians 2:8–10 NASB95

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

1 Corinthians 3:10–15 NASB95

According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Matthew 25:46 NASB95

“These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”