Yes, it does, so why don't you believe it? You might not
feel dead to sin, but it's a fact because God said it is.
Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We "grow into" being dead? Are we not crucified with Christ? Are we slowly crucified? I ask because Jerry seems to be trying to get you to believe that being dead to sin is a matter of slowly being made holy. That's his misunderstanding.
You're talking about our being conformed into the image of the Son. That is another matter, altogether.