Dead to Sin, Alive to God

(2 Corinthians 4:7-18)

1What shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2God forbid! For we that are dead to sin, how shall we live any longer therein? 3Know you not that all we who are baptized in Christ Jesus are baptized in his death? 4For we are buried together with him by baptism into death: that, as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. 6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin may be destroyed, to the end that we may serve sin no longer. 7For he that is dead is justified from sin.

8Now, if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall live also together with Christ. 9Knowing that Christ, rising again from the dead, dieth now no more. Death shall no more have dominion over him. 10For in that he died to sin, he died once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11So do you also reckon that you are dead to sin, but alive unto God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, so as to obey the lusts thereof. 13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of iniquity unto sin: but present yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead; and your members as instruments of justice unto God. 14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace.

The Wages of Sin

(1 Peter 3:14-22)

15What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid! 16Know you not that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are whom you obey, whether it be of sin unto death or of obedience unto justice. 17But thanks be to God, that you were the servants of sin but have obeyed from the heart unto that form of doctrine into which you have been delivered. 18Being then freed from sin, we have been made servants of justice. 19I speak an human thing, because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity, unto iniquity: so now yield your members to serve justice, unto sanctification.

20For when you were the servants of sin, you were free men to justice. 21What fruit therefore had you then in those things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of them is death. 22But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end life everlasting. 23For the wages of sin is death. But the grace of God, life everlasting in Christ Jesus our Lord.