In Rom 6:7, the KJV reads:
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Many other translations (e.g., NRSV; NJB; LEB) uses "freed." However, the Greek of this verse reads:
ὁ γὰρ ἀποθανὼν δεδικαίωται ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας
The term δεδικαίωται is the third person indicative perfect passive of δικαιοω, the verb meaning "to justify," meaning "justified" in this verse. In Paul's theology, God not only simply "frees" a person from sin, but they are "justified/made righteous" therefrom. This is interesting as we know from passages such as 1 John 2:1-2 and Heb 2:17 as well as other passages showing repentance is not once-off , that a believer does not have a "blanket forgiveness" of past, present, and then-future sins, so they have to seek forgiveness from transgressions. That being the case, this is further evidence of justification being a process, not just a once-off event in the life of a believer, as God, in Rom 6:7, further "justifies/makes righteous" a person when they are forgiven of such sins.
In effect, the apostle Paul has no issue with using the term "justification" (δικαιοω) in reference to sanctification; one should compare this with 1 Cor 6:9-11. This is important, as many Evangelical Protestants who are anti-Mormon claim that LDS theology confuses the relationship between justification and sanctification.
The theology of this verse is totally consistent with Latter-day Saint soteriology, but at odds with many Protestant theologies of salvation.
