XPost: rec.arts.books.tolkien, alt.religion.christian.east-orthodox   
   From: hayesmstw@hotmail.com   
      
   On Wed, 5 Nov 2003 11:43:00 +0200, "Membranous Gauss"    
   wrote:   
      
   >   
   >> >   
   >> >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).   
      
   I'm not sure that I agree with your line of reasoning.   
      
   Would you say that death is a punishment for getting cancer, or measles, or   
   pneumonia?   
      
      
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   Steve Hayes   
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