The Heaven Answer Book

Why must we die?

D eath is the penalty for sin — and because we are all infected with the disease of sin, we are all subject to death. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Death was never part of God’s original plan. God told Adam and Eve, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:16–17). There was nothing magical about the tree, but God had every right to withhold it from Adam and Eve and shield them from the knowledge of evil. But Satan was determined to make what was forbidden look attractive to Adam and Eve. The sin they committed was disobe dience to God . . . and in time, they died—as God had warned. Satan’s lie that they would “be like God” over powered them and made them forget all the provisions

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What Happens When We Die?