THE WAGES OF SIN
By Clyde L. Pilkington Jr.
The Scripture is very plain as to the penalty of sin.
"For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
Contemporary Christianity has still not shaken off the Roman, Dark-age superstition that the penalty of sin is eternal conscious torment for the wicked in hell.
Tradition would have us to believe that Romans 6:23 really means "the wages of sin is eternal conscience torment in fiery hell." But nonetheless, the scriptures say that the penalty is death.
In fact, if the penalty of sin is eternal, conscious, torment in hell, then Christ cannot be the Saviour of the world; for, He has not made such a payment as that for sin; otherwise, he would have to be in eternal conscious torment himself!
But Christ IS the Saviour of the world. And He did make the full and complete payment for sin. He did so by dying for the sins of the world.
"Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:3).
"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree (I Peter 2:24).