Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

As I see it, Paul was referring to the adversity (including persecution, as well as possible physical suffering and death) of the type that Christ suffered, and that believers were experiencing (and may experience even in today's world) because of their faith in Christ.

However, as Paul also said, the continued missionary activity of Christians (despite any such hardships) gives witness to the resurrected life and power of Jesus, and the hope of eternal life that faith in Him provides.

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Mark Vestal Supporter Proud of nothing of myself. Freed by Christ who did it all!

Christ, who knew no sin, was made to be sin for us (2 Cor 5:21). Our sins died with Christ upon having this faith in His blood for that purpose (Rom 3:25). We are still trapped in this sin dwelling temporal body while living, but we are dead to the ownership that sin had over us, as sin was defeated by Christ on the cross. We now have new life in Christ and He in us by the power that His death alone could and did provide. We are justified for eternity by His resurrected sinless life for us through this faith in Him (Eph 2:8-9, Rom 3:24)

Rom 6:1-7
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin."

We are no longer bound to serve the sin that dwells within us that Christ died for, and our sins are no longer imputed unto us.

Rom 7:22-25
"For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."

2 Cor 5:19
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."

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