Answer
The wages of sin is eternal death. Yet we all sin because there is pleasure in sinning and we do not know whether eternity is real for sure. But, God says eternity is sure and death is not an escape from eternal punishment. God will raise everybody from death. We will receive either punishment or reward according to our deeds at the time of our living.
We all sin. But Jesus Christ saves us from sin. We are taught that Jesus Christ saves from the punishment for sins while we are yet sinning. We refer it as we are saved but it is not true. Jesus Christ saves us from our sinning so that we do not have to be punished for sin. "Matt 1:21 ... JESUS… shall save his people from their sins." God gives his grace, power and Holy Spirit to those who obey so that they can overcome sin. God considers them as his people and adopts them as his children. They inherit the kingdom of God. "Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ."
God gave a commandment to Adam and told him that he will die on the day he disobeys. "Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Adam disobeyed God and he became spiritually dead on the same day. Even in the New Testament, God sees the sinning people as the dead and obedient people as the living. "Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: … 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)." God has given them power and grace so that they were able to obey and says that he has quickened them or resurrected them. God refers their status as saved.
We are saved means that God has resurrected us from spiritual death to spiritual life. Or, we may say that God has changed our disobedience to obedience. Let us verify this from previous verses. "Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." It explains it. In time past we did not obey God and were under the wrath of God. Now we obey God. That is, God saved us.
According to these verses, God has not only raised us to spiritual life, but also seated us in heavenly places with Jesus Christ. Now, whoever God has seated in heavenly places will see heaven very clearly. Man cannot do this work, but God did his work on them who obeyed God. God has converted them so that they walk in the righteousness of God. "Eph 2:6 .hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: ... 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." If someone does not walk in righteousness, it is proof that God did not do his work on that person and he/she is not saved. God want us to examine ourselves rather than blindly believing that we are okay. It is important to acknowledge that a person is not saved until he is converted from the sinful life. "2 Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves." If someone walks in the righteousness of God, then it is proof that they are saved. If someone does not walk in righteousness, they are the one who need to be saved. That is, God will have mercy on the sinners who will be willing to obey God. "Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us."
"Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you." In the above scripture we see that they were servants of sin in the past. God gave his doctrine to them so that they may obey God and do his righteousness. They obeyed the doctrine of Jesus Christ completely. Their obedience to the doctrine delivered them from their sins. "Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." When they were free from sin, they became the servants of righteousness. Nobody can commit sin and be righteous at the same time. "Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." As they were serving God, they became holy and God leads them to everlasting life. They are saved by their obedience, by their works of righteousness, and of course by the grace of God.
Most of us have committed sins and that is why we need a savior. God not only gives us commandments but also gives us grace and power to obey his commandments. This grace and power comes to effect when we sincerely strive to obey him. As it comes to effect we will not commit sin. "1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." Yes, we will not commit sin anymore. But what will happen to the sins we have already committed? As we start to walk without sin like Jesus Christ, then God will forgive our past sins. "1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. Rom 3:25 … God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" God will forgive the past sins as we will not do future sins by the grace of God. Now, we are saved from our sins.
The Bible says that Jesus Christ will save his people from their sins but not from the punishment for sins while they are committing sins. "Matt 1:21... thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." If the believers are saved from their sins then they are simultaneously saved from the punishment for sins. Jesus Christ says that if a person is committing sin, he is a sinner, no matter what he believes. "John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." As long as they are committing sin, they are not saved from sin.
If we love God with reverential fear, we will obey God - We will stop sinning.
the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
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