Bible Questions and Answers

Thanks for your question.

Not doing what God has told us to do is defined in the Bible as sin. Everyone who sins is punished by death.

Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Individuals do not receive ‘extra’ punishment for their sin. This is manifestly clear in that many sinners live full and relatively happy lives. The situation is argued through in the book of Job.

Death is the punishment for all and every sin. We do not die immediately upon sinning because God in his mercy gives us time to repent.

Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us–ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God gave his only begotten son to die for us that we might have remission for our sins.

Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

The Gospel message is that our sins can be forgiven if we:

·        Believe the gospel.

·        Repent of our sinful lifestyle.

·        Are baptized by immersion in water into Jesus Christ.

·        After baptism, live a new life obeying the commandments of Christ.

The commandments of Christ are to love God and our fellow man (whether friend or enemy) better than we love ourselves. To treat others as we would like God to treat us.

Baptism washes away all our sins prior to that point. God is not mocked - we cannot delay baptism after we come to understand the gospel in order to sin some more. After baptism sins can be forgiven by confession in prayer to God.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(Forgiveness of sins rescinds punishment - we are not forgiven and still punished for each sin as RC doctrine has it).

If we do this Christ will raise us from the dead to eternal life when he returns to establish the kingdom of God on earth.

I hope this helps

Glenn