Definitions
Punishment: A negative penalty or consequence for sin.
Bear: To carry, endure, or experience consequences.
The Argument
- Failing to do what is right is sin. (James 4:17)
- Believers will bear punishment for failing to do what is right.
- Therefore, believers will bear punishment for sin.
Passages Suggesting Believers Will Not Bear Punishment for Sin
Christ offered a single sacrifice for sins for all time.
"But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God..."
Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous.
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit..."
Christ has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
"For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified."
God forgave all trespasses.
"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses..."
Christ put away sin by sacrificing himself.
"...for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."
God canceled the record of debt, nailing it to the cross.
"...by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross."
Christ died for sins.
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures..."
Christ bore our sins in his body on the tree.
"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed."
Christ was made sin for our sake.
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Christ is the propitiation for sins.
"He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."
Christ gave himself as a ransom for all.
"...who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time."
Christ reconciled believers to himself.
"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation..."
Passages Suggesting Believers Will Bear Punishment for Sin
Believers will be judged for failing to do what is right.
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."
Believers will be judged with greater strictness if they teach.
"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."
Believers will be judged with fire and no sacrifice remains if they sin deliberately.
"For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries."
Believers will be judged and saved through fire.
"If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire."
Believers will be handed to torturers for unforgiveness.
"And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
Believers will be cast into outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"...while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Believers will be cut in two and assigned with hypocrites.
"...the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Believers will be severely beaten for ignoring God's will.
"And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating."
Believers will be thrown away, burned like a discarded branch.
"If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned."
Believers will be liable to hellfire.
"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire."
Believers will be worse than unbelievers if neglecting family.
"But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
Believers will be stricken with sickness and death by God.
"That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died."