This participle (from apogínomai) means 'having died to' or 'having departed from' something, indicating cessation of participation or relationship. Peter uses it in 1 Peter 2:24: Christ 'bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sin, might live to righteousness.' The participle indicates a definitive break: believers have died to sin's dominion through union with Christ's death. This isn't gradual improvement but radical transition—death severs the old relationship, making new life possible.