God is just. If anyone disobeys God, you don't get off free. A penalty must be paid.

God can't just say, "Oh, well. I was just kidding. I'll give you a second chance." God created us and He made the rules. (It turns out the rules are for our own good, but that's another topic.) The rules say, if you break any of my rules, the penalty is death.

That means, for example, that if you are driving on the highway and you exceed the speed limit, the penalty under God is the death penalty (based on Romans 13). If you steal a paper clip from work, you get the death penalty. The same rules apply to everyone, everywhere in the world. God is just and fair, He does not make any exceptions.

Please recognize that there are three kinds of death:

1) Or physical death. We all will physically die one day. This is not the type of death God is talking about.

2) Death to sin. Those who believe in Jesus die to their sins and live a new life in Christ. This is not the type of death God is talking about.

3) Eternal death. This is what God is talking about. If you break God's law, the punishment is that when we are judged, the penalty you must pay is eternal death. There is no avoiding it. You can't pay a fine or do community service. The penalty is death, and the penalty must be paid in blood. However, there is someone willing to step forward and pay your penalty for you. Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty you owe. Jesus shed his blood so that you may have eternal life with God. He paid the price for your sins. All you need to do is accept this gift from God, and it's yours.