Romans 6:23 (Part 1): The Wages of Sin
Death is more than physical. Isaiah 59:2 says our sins separate us from God.
Romans 6:23 (Part 1): The Wages of Sin
Today we are looking at one of the greatest verses in all of Scripture: Romans 6:23. Throughout the Bible, there are verses that reach everyone and impact all of us.
Genesis 1:1 is one of those verses. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
So is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
Romans 6:23 begins by making a simple statement: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Let’s talk about that. Have you ever wondered why our world is filled with pain, suffering, brokenness and death? The Bible answers that question with one word: sin. The cause of all of life‘s problems can be summed up in one word.
Why is there pain and suffering in this world? Sin.
Why do I struggle to find happiness in life? Sin.
Why does it seem that things never work out for me? Sin.
Why do people die? Sin.
Sin is far more than making bad choices. It is rebellion against the God who created us. When mankind sinned, death entered God’s perfect creation (Romans 5:12) and every generation since has experienced its effects.
The Greek word “wages” refers to the pay a soldier receives for his service. A wage isn’t a gift—it’s something earned. In the same way, sin pays exactly what it promises. Its paycheck is death.
That death is more than physical. Isaiah 59:2 says our sins separate us from God. The Source of all peace, hope, joy and purpose is pushed away by our sin. No wonder people search endlessly for happiness yet never seem to find it. We were created to walk with God, but sin has driven a wedge between us and our Creator.
Now, if Romans 6:23 ended right there—with the word death—there would be no hope for any of us. We have all sinned, and we have all earned our wages.
But thankfully, Paul didn’t finish the sentence there. God is a God of hope, joy, peace and purpose. Remember?
We will look at the last part of that verse tomorrow.
