Unknowns, What I Do Know
From God's Word
His suffering I read, but don't know the extent. The fear of the disciples I read, but don't experience their fears. The chargrin of those who wanted Him crucified when the guards at the tomb reported the stone rolled alway, well, only they knew that. The surprise for Mary, the conversation to Emmaus, the terror of the disciples thinking they saw a ghost. These I will never know. They are all personally experiencial unknowns to me.
But I do know that the reason Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of the living God died being the only perfect human being without sin against the Father is summed up in what is true, what is said to me.
Christ died for my sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4) Including me all have sinned against a holy God and come far short of the glory of God, I have completely missed the mark. (Romans 3:23) And for every person who has walked on this earth, walked in sin on this earth from Adam until now (wherefore by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Romans 5:12, 14), yes, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23), well, there it is the wages, payment for sin is death. As Adam and Eve were separated from God when they transgressed, went over the limit God had set, even so there is a forever separation for everyone , but recognized most by those who know they are dead to God. But the gift of God is available to all. As John recorded:
[5] This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not truly: [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. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and truth is not in us. [9] If we acknowledge our sin, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 John 1:5-10 GNV
When I stand, when I kneel before Him (Revelation 20; Philippians 2:10, 11) I will be prepared to call Him Lord. There is nothing I have done, no being good or doing more good than bad (Isaiah 64:6), no amount of telling others about Him, singing His praises, not going to church one day or everytime the church doors are open, no amount of Bible study (John 5:40), no amount of knocking on doors, preaching from the pulpit, writing my meditations, healing people, or even casting out demons (Matthew 7:21), but it is tru)y said,
[5] Not by the works of righteousness, which we had done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of the new birth, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost,
Titus 3:5 GNV
My only claim is as the one man prayed and went away justified, God, be merciful to me a sinner (Luke 18:13). My only claim in judgment before God is Jesus Christ, His blood cleansed me from my sin. Only He has made all things new in me. Without Him I would be completely lost, separated from God forever. My only plea id Jesus.
Lord, let those who read this, those who know you not, Lord, draw them to you, open their hearts to all who you are, for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ. May they confess their sins calling on the name of the Lord. Amen, so be it.
You said "yes, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23), well, there it is the wages, payment for sin is death."
If you read the context you will see that "the wages of sin is death" does not mean penalty but consequences of sin- it is the result of our actions it is not a penalty that God puts on us.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not truly: 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 cleanses us from all sin. (1John 6-7)
If we walk as he walked then we will have eternal life through Jesus Christ, if we walk the way the world walks we will have death.
This is not earning our salvation but being worthy of it.
Salvation comes by God giving us the promise of eternal life if we accept that Jesus Christ is the one we must follow the example of.
If we then actually walk in that way then we are worthy of the Kingdom of God:
Eph_4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Col_1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
1Th_2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
2Th_1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
2Th_1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
It is complex only because of the false teaching of the penalty for sin has confused the clear teachings of scripture, the following article address this issue in some depth:
https://friendswithgod.substack.com/p/how-we-change-to-please-god