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? 2By no means: how shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should 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, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7For he that is dead is freed from sin.

8Now if we are dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10For in that he died, he died to sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth to God. 11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts of it. 13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: but yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God: 14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye 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? By no means. 16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants in obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? 17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin; but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity, to (work) iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness, to (work) holiness.

20For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21What fruit had ye then in those things of which ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22But now being made free from sin, and having become servants to God, ye have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.