Connect Isaiah 5:14 with Romans 6:23 on sin's consequences and God's gift. \Sin’s Downward Spiral: The Grave Enlarged (Isaiah 5:14)\ • Isaiah warns that unchecked rebellion against God causes Sheol—“the grave”—to “enlarge its appetite and open its mouth beyond measure”. • Sin is pictured as so destructive that the grave must grow to swallow a nation’s pride, revelry, and multitudes. • The literal language underscores that death is not abstract; it is the certain, physical end of sin’s path. • Supporting echoes: ‑ Ezekiel 18:4: “The soul who sins is the one who will die.” ‑ James 1:15: “Sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” \The Wages of Sin: Death (Romans 6:23a)\ • Paul states the same truth Isaiah depicts: “For the wages of sin is death”. • “Wages” implies a fair, earned payment; death is not random but just compensation for sin. • Both prophets and apostles affirm sin’s inescapable payday—physical death, spiritual separation, and eternal loss. • Further confirmation: ‑ Romans 5:12: “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned.” ‑ Revelation 20:14-15: the “second death” awaits those still in their sins. \God’s Gracious Countermove: Eternal Life (Romans 6:23b)\ • The verse pivots: “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. • Unlike wages, a “gift” is unearned; it flows from God’s loving initiative. • Jesus takes the death we deserved and offers His resurrection life in exchange (Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57). • Isaiah foresaw this reversal: later he prophesies of a Messiah who will be “pierced for our transgressions” and “make many righteous” (Isaiah 53:5, 11). \Thread of Redemption Across Scripture\ • Isaiah 5 portrays sin’s feast on human souls; Romans 6 reveals Christ’s victory over that grave. • Together they trace a clear arc: ‑ Sin → inevitable death (Isaiah 5:14). ‑ Death → righteously earned wages (Romans 6:23a). ‑ God → freely offers life (Romans 6:23b). • John 3:16 captures the heartbeat: belief in the Son rescues us from perishing and grants eternal life. \Personal Takeaways\ • Sin always pays in death; repentance is urgent and non-negotiable. • God’s gift is offered now—no one is beyond the reach of Christ’s redeeming work. • Receiving the gift means abandoning self-earned wages and trusting the finished work of Jesus alone. |
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