Wages of Sin may refer to the Bible in Romans 6:23. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our LORD." The sin of the Prophets, including deception, lying, murder, and false prophecy are the sin. The forerunners may represent God as it is they whom the prophets worship. The Minister of Discovery realizes the sins of all the prophets and what it had caused, but instead of reconciling with the Elites and Humans, their pride would not allow them to be humbled. So they did not "receive the life" they could have been offered had they told the truth long ago.