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! how shall we, who are dead to sin, live any longer therein?3Know ye not, that as 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, so we also should walk in newness of life:5for if we have been planted together in the resemblance of his death, so shall we be also ofhis resurrection.6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified withHim, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that we might no longer be inslaved to sin:7for he that isthus deadwith Christ, is delivered from sin.
8Now if we be 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 power over Him: for as He died, He died once for all on account of sin;10but as He liveth, He liveth unto God.11So also do ye reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to obey it in the lusts thereof.13Neither yield your bodiesas instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but present yourselves to God as alive from the dead, and your bodies as instruments of righteousness to God.14For sin shall have no power over you, inasmuch as ye are not under the law, but under grace.
The Wages of Sin
15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?16God forbid! Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves servants to obedience,his servants ye are whom ye obey? either of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?17But thanksbe to God, that yewho were servants of sin, have obeyed from the heartthat form of doctrine which was delivered to you:18and being set free from sin, ye are become the servants of righteousness.19I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh: as ye have yielded your bodies servants to impurity and iniquity towork iniquity; so now present your bodies servants to righteousness, unto holiness.
20For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.21What fruit therefore had ye thenin the things, which ye are now ashamed of? for the end of those thingsis death.22But now being set free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.23For the wages of sinis death: but the gift of Godis eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
