Sin entered into this world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. We don't know how much they understood the implications when Satan tempted them. Eve thought that she was making a great choice because the physical fruit looked attractive and delicious and it was going to make her wise (Ge.3:6). She also believed Satan when he told her she wouldn't actually die as God had warned her.
But the implications of this choice were profound. Choosing to trust and obey Satan instead of God was virtually handing over their allegiance from God to Satan. By doing what felt good in opposition to what God had said was a declaration of independence from God's rule in their life. This independence caused the loss of relationship and fellowship with God and a retraction of the protection and nurture of His love and care, and they very soon discovered that their own understanding of good and evil was insufficient for them in daily life. Death came in immediately, corrupting the pure and innocent mind and spirit and making them sinful, and starting the physical degeneration that would ultimately result in their physical death.
Many Christians seem to think that the solution to this distance from God is to obtain forgiveness of sins and to get back to God. Even though the forgiveness of our sins coming freely from God is a great thing in itself, it is far from sufficient to get to even the kind of relationship that Adam and Eve had with God and each other before the Fall. After we have been forgiven, if we go on sinning again and again, how can there be any serious fellowship with God even though there is forgiveness?
Think of what would happen if we would learn more and more to overcome in our temptations, and our desires, thinking and behaviour become more in line with God? Our fellowship will become deeper and more enjoyable! After having been delivered from the guilt of sin through justification, the fruit of sanctification will set us more and free from the slavery of sin (Ro.6:16) and increase our closeness to God. Isn't that really the way to experience salvation?
Christians seem to get stuck with forgiveness, thinking that it is all there is to salvation! As a result, many do not enjoy much of the fruit of salvation Jesus came with. Living with forgiveness alone while we are still held captive by sin doesn't seem to be the abundant life which Jesus has promised (Jn.10:10). Abundant life can't be a life of comfort and ease in the presence of sin ruling in our mind, words and action.
If we truly want to experience abundance of life that comes with freedom from the slavery of sin, it comes only by submitting to the laws of God – not primarily in the external aspects or in a legalistic way but in following the laws of the Spirit from our heart (Ro.8:2). That is not possible if we look only for forgiveness of sins but when we accept, recognise and hold Jesus as the Lord of our life in all its aspects (Ro.6:11-13;12:1,2).