Death by Sin, Life by Christ
WHAT shall we say then? Shall we continue sinning, that grace may multiply abundantly?
2 Certainly not! How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer in it?
3 Do you fail to understand, that as many that were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into his death: so that, just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, thus we also walk in newness of life.
5 For if we become united with him in death, we will also be in the resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that we are slaves to sin no longer.
7 For he that is dead is set free from sin.
8 ¶ Now if we died with Christ, we also believe that we will be alive with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead will not die again; death has no dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died to sin once and for all: but in that he lives, he lives to God.
11 Likewise, you account yourselves also dead to sin on the one hand, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 ¶ Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you obey it in its desires.
13 Yield not your body members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: but yield yourselves to God, as alive from death; and your body members as instruments of righteousness to God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace.
Slaves to Whom We Obey
15 ¶ What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? Certainly not!
16 Do you not know, that to whom you yield yourselves as bond-servants to obey, his bond-servants you are (to whom you obeyed); whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that you were the bond-servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart, concerning that model of doctrine which was delivered to you.
18 Being then set free from sin, you became bond-servants of righteousness.
19 ¶ I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as you have yielded your members servants to immorality and to lawlessness (for the purpose of lawlessness); so now, yield your members bond-servants to righteousness for the purpose of holiness.
20 For when you were bond-servants of sin, you were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had you then, in things of which you are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being set free from sin, and then becoming bond-servants to God; to have your fruit with respect to holiness, and the resulting everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gracious gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.