XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien, alt.religion.christian.east-orthodox   
   From: jointuser@thepub.co.za   
      
   > >   
   > >Does it not also say in the New Testament: "The wages of sin is Death?"   
   >   
   > So it does.   
   >   
   > But what is your point?   
   >   
   > Are you suggesting that wages are a punishment?   
   >   
      
   With the amount I get paid, yes!   
      
   But seriously, folks... the implication in that line is that sinners earn   
   death, it is what they deserve for their actions. This is linked to the   
   concept of punishment. A man who commits a crime is said to deserve to go to   
   prison. Reward and punishment are two sides of the same coin. Do good and   
   you deserve good things i.e.reward. Do bad (sin) and you deserve bad things   
   i.e. punishment. So in that sense 'wages' is equated with the coin of reward   
   / punishment, the line can be interpreted as saying: Commit sin  and you   
   deserve death (a punishment).   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)