Compare Genesis 38:7 with Romans 6:23 regarding consequences of sin. setting the scene Genesis records a real family, the line through which Messiah would come. Romans is Paul’s Spirit-inspired letter spelling out the gospel. Both books, though separated by centuries, agree on the same sobering reality: sin brings death. Genesis 38:7 – a personal case study “Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; so the LORD put him to death.” (Genesis 38:7) • One verse, yet weighty. No details of Er’s sin are given; the Spirit simply declares it “wicked.” • The consequence is immediate and physical—Er dies at God’s hand. • This is not random; it is judicial. The Creator acts as righteous Judge (cf. Deuteronomy 32:4). Romans 6:23 – a universal principle “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) • “Wages” implies something earned; sin pays out exactly what it promised. • “Death” encompasses physical death (Genesis 3:19), spiritual separation (Isaiah 59:2), and eternal judgment (Revelation 20:14). • The verse also introduces God’s gracious counter-offer: the unearned “gift” of eternal life through Christ. shared truth: sin equals death Both passages agree: • Sin is objective rebellion against God’s holiness. • Death is God’s just response—whether instantaneous like Er or ultimate like the final judgment (Hebrews 9:27). • No one escapes this law unless God intervenes (Ezekiel 18:4; James 1:15). different angles, same message Genesis 38:7 shows the principle in narrative form—one man’s life cut short. Romans 6:23 states the doctrine—every sinner faces death unless redeemed. The story is the picture; the epistle is the explanation. death: three dimensions • Physical – bodies return to dust (Genesis 3:19). • Spiritual – fellowship with God broken (Ephesians 2:1). • Eternal – the “second death” for the unrepentant (Revelation 21:8). Er experienced at least the first; Romans warns of all three. the gracious alternative Thanks be to God, Romans 6:23 does not end with death: • “But the gift of God is eternal life.” • This gift comes solely “in Christ Jesus our Lord” (John 14:6; 2 Corinthians 5:21). • Where sin pays wages, grace offers life unearned. living in light of the warning • Take sin seriously; its end is always death (Proverbs 14:12). • Flee to Christ for the “gift” Er never sought (John 3:16). • Walk in newness of life, no longer slaves to sin’s paycheck (Romans 6:4–6). |
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