3. What does sin bring to people who indulge in it? Romans 6:23, first part. Compare Romans 5:12; James 1:15.
NOTE: ‘God has given in His word decisive evidence that He will punish the transgressors of His law. Those who flatter themselves that He is too merciful to execute justice upon the sinner, have only to look to the cross of Calvary. The death of the spotless Son of God testifies that “the wages of sin is death,” that every violation of God’s law must receive its just retribution. Christ the sinless became sin for man. He bore the guilt of transgression, and the hiding of His Father’s face, until His heart was broken and His life crushed out. All this sacrifice was made that sinners might be redeemed. In no other way could man be freed from the penalty of sin. And every soul that refuses to become a partaker of the atonement provided at such a cost must bear in his own person the guilt and punishment of transgression.’ Darkness Before Dawn, page 16.
4. How does Paul describe those who have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ? Romans 6:11. Compare Romans 6:1.
NOTE: ‘Can a man live on what he died of? No. Then when the man has died of sin, can he live in sin? Can he live with sin? A man dies of delirium tremens or typhoid fever. Can he live on delirium tremens or typhoid fever, even if by a possibility he should be brought to live long enough to realise that he was there? The very thought of it would be death to him, because it killed him once. So it is with the man who dies of sin. The very appearance of it, the very bringing of it before him after that is death to him. If he has consciousness enough and life enough to realise that it is there, he will die of it again. He cannot live on what he died of.’ A. T. Jones: General Conference Bulletin, February 25, 1895.