The soul that sins shall die, as sin is an ever-present reality in human life, a burden every Christian must bear like a cross. This principle of sin resides in the heart, remaining even after conversion, requiring constant battle and effort to overcome. Jesus Christ warns that carrying the weight of sin is a necessary part of following Him, a struggle that persists until one enters the Kingdom of God. Death entered the world through sin, as established by the actions of Adam, and it spread to all because all have sinned, emulating his conduct. Each person bears responsibility for their own death, not solely because of Adam's actions, though his sin plays a part. The wages of sin are death, and every individual dies for their own transgressions, not merely because of inherited guilt. Even before the law was expressed at Mount Sinai, sin existed, and people died as a result of breaking God's law, which was in effect from the creation of Adam and Eve. God judges without partiality, holding all accountable, as He has placed enough knowledge of His law within every person to know right from wrong, leaving no room to blame others for personal sin. Adam's sin affected all of humanity because, in a sense, all were within him when he sinned, and thus the penalty of death passed to all born after him. However, this does not make individuals guilty of Adam's specific sin; rather, they are caught up in the consequence of death, while remaining responsible for their own actions. God did not create a sinful nature in humanity; Adam and Eve chose to sin when influenced by satan, who introduced a nature contrary to God's way. This satanic nature, adapted to humanity, flourished through association with satan and his spirit, not through natural birth processes, enslaving mankind and making him the god of this world. God permitted this to occur for His own purpose, yet He did not instill an evil nature in humanity at creation; the spirit He gave was very good, untainted until satan's influence corrupted the heart of man through submission to his ways.

The concept of the soul that sins shall die is a fundamental truth revealed in Scripture. God declares plainly that the living being who sins shall die, emphasizing that sin results in death. This principle is evident when God warns that partaking of forbidden fruit brings the death penalty, a consequence that indeed came to pass as death was in them from the moment of sin. In Ezekiel, it is reiterated that the soul who sins shall die, making it clear that a person, a living being, can and will die due to sin. This is further confirmed in the New Testament, where it is stated that everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, meaning all are subject to death. The wages of sin are not eternal life in some other realm, but death itself. Life, both physical and eternal, is a gift from God; it is not inherent in the soul. Eternal life must be given by God's grace, as humans earn death through their sins. Jesus Christ Himself affirms that the soul can die if it does not repent and conform to God's way. Immortality is not something humans possess naturally; it is something to be sought and put on through the resurrection, a gift from God, as only He inherently possesses immortality and offers it to those who follow Him.

The soul that sins shall die, as God declares in Ezekiel 18:4, affirming that all souls belong to Him, whether of the father or the son. This truth is reiterated in Ezekiel 18:20, emphasizing that the consequence of sin is death. God warns from the beginning in Genesis 2:17 that eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil will result in certain death. This principle stands firm: the wages of sin, earned through ungodly choices, is death, as stated in Romans 6:23. Jesus Himself cautions to fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell, as noted in Matthew 10:28, confirming that the human soul is not immortal but can indeed perish. The ultimate fate of the unrepentant sinner is eternal death, a permanent destruction, described as the second death in Revelation 20:14, for those who reject God's offer of eternal life.