Compare Isaiah 5:18 with Romans 6:23. What do both say about sin's outcome? Passages for Reflection • Isaiah 5:18: “Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes.” • Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” What Both Verses Reveal about Sin’s Outcome • Sin is never static; it drags the sinner toward an inevitable end. • That end is separation from life—expressed metaphorically in Isaiah as being hauled away, and explicitly in Romans as death. • The destructive finish line is certain unless God intervenes with His gift of eternal life. Drawn by Cords: Isaiah’s Picture • “Cords of deceit” point to self-chosen ties—habits, excuses, rationalizations. • The longer the cords, the heavier the load; sin compounds and grows harder to break (Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 5:22). • Outcome: a downward pull toward judgment (“Woe”), not blessing. Paid in Full: Romans’ Declaration • “Wages” emphasizes legal compensation—sin earns death like a worker earns a paycheck (James 1:15). • Death here is spiritual and eternal, not mere physical expiration (Revelation 20:14-15). • God interrupts the payday by offering the opposite: “the gift… eternal life.” Contrasting Images, Same Verdict 1. Isaiah: sin is a rope that drags. 2. Romans: sin is an employer that pays. 3. Shared verdict: unchecked sin carries the sinner to death, judgment, and loss of fellowship with God (Ezekiel 18:4). Hope Beyond the Outcome • Only God’s gift—received through faith in Christ—cuts the cords and cancels the wages (John 8:36; Colossians 1:13-14). • Believers are no longer bound or on sin’s payroll; they now serve righteousness leading to life (Romans 6:22). Living Free Today • Recognize any “cords of deceit” still dangling—confess and forsake them (1 John 1:9). • Remember you’ve switched employers; offer yourself to God as one alive from the dead (Romans 6:11-13). • Celebrate daily the gift that replaced death with life (Psalm 103:1-4). |
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