Many continually preach, "The wages of sin is death," but then by what they preach they contradict them self by preaching that unbelievers will go to Hell where they will live forever, therefore, "The wages of sin is an eternal life of torment in Hell" not death.
The changing of life and death to:
Has "life" has been changed to mean only a "reward" and "death" changed to mean "eternal life with torment"?
Is "the wages of sin death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"? Romans 6:23, or is death eternal life with torment?
Eternal life is a conditional gift to the saved at the resurrection and judgment . “He
that have the Son has eternal life. He that has not the Son has not life” (Immortality) 1
John 5:12. "He that hears My word, and believes Him that sent Me, has eternal life, and comes not into judgment, but has passed out of death into life" (John 5:24).
"I have set before you life and death" (Deuteronomy 30:19). Life and death are two of the most misused words in the Bible. Many are unwilling to believe that when God said,
"The wages of sin is death" that He did really mean what He said, that death is death and not eternal life in some other place. Death is not a lifelong imprisonment with torture.
Death is death, not a better life in Heaven, or a worse life in Hell; it is life or death.
Death is the exact opposite of life, and death cannot be changed to be eternal life with torment. For a person to have an immortal soul from birth, death as the wages of sin must be explained away. Innate inborn immortality is hostile to God's word. If a person is born with an immortal "immaterial, invisible part of men" (W. E. Vine) that is not subject to death and this "soul" is the only part of a person that will survive death, the law of God has no power over whether that soul lives or dies for it cannot die; God can only say how or where this "immaterial, invisible part of men" is to live if this "part of man" is not subject to death and must always live some place.
"He that hears my word, and believes him that sent me, has eternal life, and comes not into judgment, but has passed out of death into life" (John 5:24). Not a soul that has eternal life passing out of one kind of eternal life into another kind of eternal life, but a person (“he”) that has passed out of death into life.
"It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
"For the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29). We now bear the image of Adam, and like Adam, we all will die; but both the saved and those not saved will be 120
raised at the second coming of Christ and be judged. The saved will bear the image of Christ and have life forever (1 Corinthians 15:45-49). The church at Smyrna was told,
"Be you faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life...He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death" (Revelation 2:10-11). Throughout the Gospels, Christ promised life to all who believed Him. Paul says, "His servants you are whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness" (Romans 6:16). "What fruit then had you at that time in the things whereof you are now ashamed: for the end of these things is death. But, now being made free from sin and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life" (Romans 6:21-22). As clear as human language can be, Paul says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
In Romans 6:23, the issue is:
LIFE - - - - - - - - - - - -OR - DEATH
NOT LIFE IN ONE PLACE-HEAVEN – OR - LIFE IN ANOTHER PLACE-HELL
DEATH IS THE ABSENCE OF LIFE – NOT - ANOTHER KIND OF LIFE, WHICH WILL BE EITHER BETTER OR WORSE THAN
THIS LIFE
All who obeys Christ and "overcomes," will at the judgment be given the crown of life; and shall not be hurt of the second death. The clear implication is that anyone who does not overcome shall be hurt of the second death at the judgment (Revelation 2:11). "He that overcomes shall inherit these things: and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death" (Revelation 21:7-8).
There may be more in the New Testament on life and death than any other subject. If God can destroy a person (the whole person, Matthew 10:28), unconditional immortality cannot be true. If a person can lose his life (Matthew 10:39) unconditional immortality cannot be true. Those who believe a person has a part that cannot die knows "the wages of sin" (Romans 6:23) must be changed to be something other than death for if "death"
means "death" ; the sinner will die; he cannot live forever in Hell. The Bible teaching on death must do away with or there can be no hell.
John 3:16: If all have eternal life at birth, why did God give His Son that all who believe on Him would have eternal life and not perish? If we are born with eternal life, how could the gift of God to those who believe and obey Him be eternal life? Eternal life is only for those who believe. Just as sure as those that believe on Christ will have eternal life, those who do not believe on Christ will not have eternal life any place.
John 11:25: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes on me, though he die, yet shall he live; and whosoever lives and believes on me shall never die." If no one
“shall never die‖ why did Jesus promise something that all, even sinners, already had?
"And declare unto you the life, the eternal life" (1 John 1:1). Only those who are raised with Christ through baptism have life. They are the only ones who, “Though he die, yet shall he live” [John 11:25]. Christianity without a resurrection to life for those in Christ is inconceivable.
(1) LIFE
The gift of God is eternal LIFE but only to those in Christ. God's gift of LIFE is not just a reward to those who are born with eternal life and cannot die.
1. The Greek concept of an immortal soul assumes that the soul already possess eternal life and is not subject to death.
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2. The orthodox view is that a person has an "immaterial, invisible part of men," and only this part of himself possesses eternal life at or before birth and is not subject to death; the orthodox view is that this is the only part of a person that will be in Heaven or Hell immediately after death before and without the resurrection and
judgment. According to the orthodox view all the dead are now in Heaven or Hell
and will always be there even if there never will be a second coming of Christ or
resurrection or judgment.
3. The Bible says that Christ "abolished death, and brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel" (2 Timothy 1:10). Without the resurrection there would be no life after death. Before the resurrection, no person or no part of a person has immortality.
Psukee (life) is the only word-translated soul in the New Testament. The adjectives eternal and everlasting are never used with psukee. Psukee is translated: life 40 times, you 1 time, us 1 time, mind 3 times, heart 1 time, heartily 1 time, soul 57
times in the King James Version. Psukee (life) is the natural life or a person from Adam or the natural life of any living being (Revelation 8:9; 16:3). It is the life common to all living creatures, man and all animals, and is never said to be eternal. All living creatures by natural birth have psukee (life) from birth to death. "The first man Adam become a
living soul (psukee-living being)" (1 Corinthians 15:45): psukee is the same as nehphesh in the Old Testament. Adam became " a living soul"- nehphesh-a living being (Genesis 2:7). It is the life Adam had in common with animals and all living creatures.
Zoee (life) is a gift from Christ to those who believe, the eternal life He gives to those who are His, life those that are not His will never have. "Zoee" is used about one hundred thirty times, and is translated "life" every time. It refers to the life given by Christ to believes in all but about ten of the about one hundred thirty times it is used, and in those ten it is life or existence in this life time, “Seeing He Himself gives to all life (zoee), and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25).
B. W. Johnson said, "The zoee, (life, existence) is never said to end, or perish. It is the psukee (breath, or animal life), that is laid down, or perishes." Commentary on John, 1886, John 10:27-28.
Zoee (life) is the life Christ gives to believers; a life that is beyond this earthly life that nonbelievers do not now or will ever have. Life (zoee) that Christ gives to believers is existence for believers as opposed to non-existence or death for nonbelievers. The penalty for sin is death and Christ made the atonement for our sins by his death; life for us is only through Christ’s atonement and without his atonement there is only death, not eternal life anyplace with or without torment. The wages of sin is death and Christ has not made the atonement for the sins of the wicked that never believe Him and there is no life for them, without eternal life they cannot be eternally tormented.
" SHALL INHERIT ETERNAL (AIONIOS) LIFE (ZOEE)" MATTHEW 19:29
"THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES MAY IN HIM HAVE ETERNAL (AIONIOS) LIFE (ZOEE)" JOHN 3:15. THE ONLY WAY TO
HAVE ETERNAL LIFE IS THROUGH BELIEVING IN CHRIST, NOT BY BIRTH, NOT BEING BORN WITH AN IMMORTAL SOUL
THAT HIS ETERNAL LIFE WITHOUT BELIEVING IN CHRIST.
" WHOSOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)" JOHN 3:16
"HE THAT BELIEVES ON THE SON HAS ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE); BUT HE THAT OBEYS NOT THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE
(ZOEE),‖ JOHN 3:36. HE OR SHE THAT OBEYS NOT THE SON IS NOT NOW IMMORTAL AND WILL NEVER BE IMMORTAL IN
HELL OR ANY PLACE, WILL NEVER HAVE ETERNAL LIFE ANY PLACE
"THE WATER I SHALL GIVE HIM SHALL BECOME IN HIM A WELL OR WATER SPRINGING UP UNTO ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)"
JOHN 4:14
"FRUIT UNTO LIFE (ZOEE) ETERNAL JOHN 4:36
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"SON ALSO GIVES LIFE (ZOEE)" JOHN 5:21
"OUT OF DEATH INTO LIFE (ZOEE)" JOHN 5:24
"THAT YOU MAY HAVE LIFE (ZOEE)" JOHN 5:40
"UNTO THE RESURRECTION OF LIFE (ZOEE)" JOHN 5:29
"FOOD WHICH ABIDES UNTO ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)" JOHN 6:27
" SHOULD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE); AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY" JOHN 6:40
"AND I GIVE UNTO THEM ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)" JOHN 10:28. HE IS NOT GIVING THEM LIFE THAT THEY HAD AT BIRTH, BUT LIFE THAT THEY OR NO PART OF THEM HAD BEFORE THE NEW BIRTH. WHEN JESUS SAID, "HE THAT BELIEVES NOT
THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE," ETERNAL LIFE IN TORMENT SHALL NOT BE SEEN.
" HE SHOULD GIVE ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)" JOHN 17:1-3
" YOU MAY HAVE LIFE (ZOEE)" JOHN 20:31
" THE FREE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE) IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD" ROMANS 6:23
"BELIEVE ON HIM UNTO ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)" 1 TIMOTHY 1:16
" LAY HOLD ON THE LIFE (ZOEE) ETERNAL, WHEREUNTO YOU WERE CALLED" 1 TIMOTHY 6:12
"MAY LAY HOLD ON THE LIFE (ZOEE) WHICH IS LIFE (ZOEE) INDEED" 1 TIMOTHY 6:19
" ABOLISHED DEATH AND BROUGHT LIFE (ZOEE) AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT" 2 TIMOTHY 1:10
" IN HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)" TITUS 1:2
"WE MIGHT BE MADE HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)" TITUS 3:12
" SHALL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE (ZOEE)" JAMES 1:12
"DECLARE UNTO YOU THE LIFE (ZOEE), THE ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE), (CHRIST) WHICH WAS WITH THE FATHER" 1 JOHN
1:2
"AND THIS IS THE PROMISE WHICH HE PROMISED US, EVEN THE LIFE (ZOEE) ETERNAL" (1 JOHN 2:25). AT THE
RESURRECTION THE SAVED SHALL PUT ON IMMORTALITY (ETERNAL LIFE). THIS IS SO SURE THAT IT IS SPOKEN OF AS IF
WE NOW HAVE IT.
" AND IN THE WORLD TO COME ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)" MARK 10:30
(1) "GOD GAVE UNTO US ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE), (2) AND THIS LIFE (ZOEE) IS IN HIS SON. (3) HE THAT HAS THE SON
HAS THE LIFE (ZOEE); (4) HE THAT HAS NOT THE SON OF GOD HAS NOT THE LIFE (ZOEE)" 1 JOHN 5:11-12. NO
INVISIBLE IMMATERIAL PART OF A PERSON THAT IS NOT IN CHRIST NOW HAS ETERNAL LIFE OR THE PROMISE OF
ETERNAL LIFE.
"AND THE END, ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)" ROMANS 6:22
" LOOKING FOR THE MERCY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST UNTO ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)" JUDE 21
"THAT OF ALL THAT WHICH HE HAS GIVEN ME I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING, BUT SHOULD RAISE IT UP AT THE LAST DAY"
(JOHN 6:29). "FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF MY FATHER, THAT EVERY ONE THAT BEHOLDS THE SON, AND BELIEVES ON
HIM, SHOULD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE); AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY" (JOHN 6:40). " AND I WILL
RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY" (JOHN 6:44) " AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY" (JOHN 6:54)
"WHO WILL RENDER TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS: TO THEM THAT BY PATIENCE IN WELL DOING SEEK FOR
GLORY AND HONOR AND INCORRUPTION, ETERNAL LIFE (ZOEE)" ROMANS 2:7
" I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE (ZOEE)" "JESUS SAID UNTO HER, I AM THE RESURRECTION, AND THE
LIFE (ZOEE): HE THAT BELIEVES ON ME, THOUGH HE DIE, YET SHALL HE LIVE; AND WHOSOEVER LIVES AND BELIEVES
ON ME SHALL NEVER DIE" (JOHN 11:25-26)
"OUR SAVIOR CHRIST JESUS, WHO ABOLISHED DEATH, AND BROUGHT LIFE (ZOEE) AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT
THROUGH THE GOSPEL" (2 TIMOTHY 1:10). CHRIST IS THE WORD OF LIFE. "CONCERNING THE WORD OF LIFE (AND
THE LIFE WAS MANIFESTED, AND WE HAVE SEEN, AND BEAR WITNESS, AND DECLARE UNTO YOU THE LIFE, THE ETERNAL
LIFE, WHICH WAS WITH THE FATHER)" (1 JOHN 1:2). ONLY THOSE RAISED WITH CHRIST THROUGH BAPTISM HAVE THE
PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE AND WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO THE SECOND DEATH.
The promise of eternal life at the judgment only to those who believe in and obey Christ is positive proof that we do not now have immortality. A born again person cannot be given immortality at the judgment if all men are now immortal and cannot die, for all, both the saved and the lost, would have been born with eternal life and born immortal. The theology, which says a person is born with immortality, robs Christ of the gift of life to all who believes and gives life to all at birth. These passages make no sense if we are born with a soul that has life and can never die, and this soul that is 123
not subject to death is the only part of us that will be in heaven. This theology makes Christ give life only to a part of a person that is already immortal and already has eternal life from birth and cannot die? Immortality is conditional on being in Christ; there is no eternal life except in Christ.
"HE THAT EATS THIS BREAD SHALL LIVE FOREVER" JOHN 6:51, 6:57.
" FOR IF... WE SHALL BE ALSO IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS RESURRECTION" ROMANS 6:5.
―AND THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY‖ 1 CORINTHIANS 15:53.
"MADE ALIVE" EPHESIANS 2:1-5.
―WHO ACCORDING TO HIS GREAT MERCY BEGAT US AGAIN UNTO A LIVING HOPE BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
CHRIST FROM THE DEAD, UNTO AN INHERITANCE INCORRUPTIBLE, AND UNDEFILED, AND THAT FADES NOT AWAY,
RESERVED IN HEAVEN FOR YOU, WHO BY THE POWER OF GOD ARE GUARDED THROUGH FAITH UNTO A
SALVATION READY TO BE REVEALED IN THE LAST TIME...RECEIVING THE END OF YOUR FAITH, THE
SALVATION OF YOUR SOULS‖ (PSUKEE-LIVES "THE SALVATION OF YOUR LIVES" OUR LIVES ARE SAVED FROM DEATH BY
THE BLOOD OF CHRIST WHO GIVE HIS LIFE TO SAVE OUR LIFE, NOT JUST AN "IMMATERIAL, INVISIBLE PART OF A MAN")
“SET YOUR HOPE PERFECTLY ON THE GRACE THAT IS TO BE BROUGHT UNTO YOU AT THE REVELATION
OF JESUS CHRIST‖ (1 PETER 1:3-13).
"BUT IF BY THE SPIRIT, YOU PUT TO DEATH THE DEEDS OF THE BODY YOU SHALL LIVE" ROMANS 8:13.
"THAT WE MAY BE ALSO GLORIFIED WITH HIM" ROMANS 8:17.
" WITH THE GLORY WHICH SHALL BE REVEALED TO US-WARD" ROMANS 8:18. WHEN? NOT NOW, BUT AT THE
RESURRECTION.
" WAITING FOR OUR ADOPTION" ROMANS 8:23. (NOT AN IMMATERIAL PART OR ―OUR‖ WAITING FOR "ITS" ADOPTION).
"FOREORDAINED TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON" ROMANS 8:29.
FOR THIS HOPE WE MUST " WITH PATIENCE WAIT FOR IT" ROMANS 8:25.
FOUR TIMES IN JOHN 6:39-54 CHRIST SAYS HE WILL RISE UP THOSE THAT ARE HIS "AT THE LAST
DAY" (JOHN 6:39, 40, 44, AND 54).
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, "The idea of a life to come is in many portions of the OT conspicuous by its absence. There is nothing anywhere that will compare with the NT conception of 'eternal life'" Page 546.
Eternal life is the gift of Christ to those who obey Him, not something all mankind possess without obeying Christ.
ETERNAL LIFE
Will be received in the future [John 3:16], “but have” is undeniably future tense.
Will be inherited [Matthew 19:29], not something that the ―soul‖ of all now has.
Is the gift of God [Romans 6:23] only to those who obey God, not something all have from birth.
We now have the hope of eternal life [Titus 3:7] in the future; something only believers shall receive.
Eternal life is promised [1 John 1:25]. If all have it from birth it could not be the gift of God promised only to believers.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in
God. When Christ, who is you life, appears, then you also will appear with Him
in glory” [Colossians 3:1-4].
(2) DEATH
Salvation is from death, not from torment for those who cannot die. Eternal life with torment in Hell means there is no death. The penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23), not eternal life in Hell. This passage is preached continually, but very few that preach it believe it. They preach, "The wages of sin is death," and in the same breath preach a person has a part that cannot die and the wages of sin for our deathless 124
part of us is an eternal life of torment in Hell. Death is death, not an eternal dying but never dead. Death is not eternal life with torment.
All have sinned; the wages of sin is death. Death is God's penalty for sin; how could God have said this anymore clear and simple? The gift of God canceled the wages of sin and gives life. The free gift of God is not changing one kind of life for another kind of life, or life in one place for life in another place. It is giving life in place of death. This is made possible not by Christ living our life of eternal torment for us, but by Christ dying our death for us. The free gift of God is life, not just a change of address from Hell to Heaven for those who have eternal life and cannot die.
"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life" (Romans 6:23). There are two reasons why the sinner will die in this passage. (1) They will receive the wages they earned for sin, which is death. (2) Eternal life, immortality, is given only to those who are in Christ. There is not one text that says the lost will ever be given the gift of immortality. ―But now having been made free from the slavery of sin, and having become a servant of God, your present reward is the blessedness and joy of a clean life, and your future reward is life eternal. And this is obvious, for, following my figure of slave, masters and wages to the end, the wages which men earn and receive from your former master, sin, is death; but the wages which you can not earn, or deserve, but which God freely gives you for serving him, is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.‖ J. W. McGarvey, Commentary on Romans 6:23, 1916, Standard Publishing Company.
"Shall save a soul (psukee-life or person) from death" "Will save him from death"
New International Version James 5:20. The person saved is saved from death, not from an eternal life of torment.
"Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls (life-psukee)" 1
Peter 1:9
" Sin unto death" Romans 6:16: Not sin unto an eternal life of torment
"What fruit then had you at that time in the things whereof you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life (at judgment).
For the Wages of sin is death; but the free gift