How does Romans 6:21 highlight the consequences of living in sin? Setting the Stage Romans 6:21: “What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.” The Verse in Plain View • “What fruit did you reap” – Paul calls us to look honestly at the harvest of a sin-dominated life. • “Things of which you are now ashamed” – Sin may promise excitement, but its aftertaste is embarrassment and regret. • “The outcome … is death” – The final, literal result is separation from God, both now and eternally (cf. Genesis 2:17; Isaiah 59:2). Three Evident Consequences 1. Shame • Sin wounds the conscience (Psalm 32:3-4). • Hidden guilt saps joy and peace (Proverbs 28:13). 2. Empty, Rotten Fruit • Sin’s “fruit” cannot nourish the soul (Jeremiah 2:13). • It produces restlessness, broken relationships, and spiritual famine (Galatians 5:19-21). 3. Death • Physical death entered through sin (Romans 5:12). • Ongoing spiritual death alienates a person from God’s life (Ephesians 4:18). • Eternal death—the lake of fire—is the fixed destiny apart from Christ (Revelation 20:14-15). Scripture’s Consistent Testimony • Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death.” • Galatians 6:7-8 – “He who sows to his flesh will reap destruction.” • James 1:15 – “Sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” • Psalm 1:6 – “The way of the wicked will perish.” The Contrast Christ Provides • Romans 6:22 – “But now, having been set free from sin … the outcome is eternal life.” • John 10:10 – Christ offers life “in abundance.” • 2 Corinthians 5:17 – In Him we become “a new creation,” bearing new fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Living in Light of This Truth • Remember sin’s real harvest—shame, emptiness, death—whenever temptation whispers. • Embrace the freedom purchased by Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6:6-7). • Pursue holiness, knowing it yields lasting fruit: joy, peace, and life eternal (Hebrews 12:11). |
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