Connect Romans 6:21 with Genesis 3:19 regarding the outcome of sin. Setting the Scene Romans 6 stands as a clear-eyed look at the believer’s new life in Christ. Verse 21 pulls no punches: “What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.” Long before Paul penned those words, Genesis 3 had already recorded sin’s bitter harvest. By tying the two passages together, Scripture shows a single, unbroken line from humanity’s first rebellion to every sinful choice today. Sin’s First Harvest in Genesis 3 • “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19) • Physical death now enters human history. • Labor, pain, and decay become daily reminders that sin has consequences. • The verse is not metaphorical; it recounts the literal sentence God pronounced over Adam and Eve—and by extension, over all their descendants. Echoes in Romans 6 • “The outcome of those things is death.” (Romans 6:21) • Paul addresses spiritual death first; physical death follows as the unavoidable proof. • The shame attached to past sin confirms that our conscience recognizes the same verdict spoken in Eden. From Garden Dust to Grave Dirt Both passages highlight three unchanging realities: 1. Sin produces shame. 2. Shame points to guilt. 3. Guilt ends in death. Other Voices in Scripture • Romans 5:12 — “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.” • 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.” • Romans 6:23 — “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Together they form a chorus, affirming Genesis 3 and Romans 6:21 with one voice. Living Out the Lesson • Every funeral, every gravestone, every aching goodbye testifies that Genesis 3:19 is still in effect. • Every pang of regret after sin echoes Romans 6:21. • Recognizing this link keeps us sober about sin’s seriousness and grateful for the deliverance offered in Christ. Hope Beyond the Sentence • Christ stepped into our dust and tasted our death (Hebrews 2:14). • By His resurrection He broke the fatal chain forged in Eden (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). • Believers now walk “in newness of life” (Romans 6:4), awaiting the day when even the grave yields to glory (Revelation 21:4). Sin began with dust and ends in dust, but in Christ dust is not the last word. |
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