SIN'S CONSEQUENCES |
Most people will get upset if anyone tells them that they are sinners. There
are some congregations where they never hear the word 'sin' because the
pastor knows it may upset people. The problem is that this word plays a
significant role in Scripture as God identifies the nature of human beings
after the fall.
The earliest use of this word is found in Gen. 4:6-7: " “Why are you angry? And
why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you
do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over
it.” These verses hold a clue for all mankind. The desire of sin is to take over our
lives, to destroy the fellowship God planned to have with us.
No one should underestimate the power of sin in the lives of human beings.
Even though God warned Cain against his sin of hatred, he was so
obsessed with it that he refused to listen to God's warning. He killed his
brother Abel, ignoring the consequence for murder. God had to send him
away from his family to stress the reality that sin brings alienation from God
and those we love.
One would think that we human beings would learn to be more aware of the
dangers of sin, especially those that bring spiritual death like, pride, anger,
selfishness, jealousy, greed, coveting, resentments, lusts, indifference to
the needs of others, unforgiving, and self-willed. There are many warnings
concerning these sins throughout Scripture but let's take a look at two of
them.
I Corinthians 6;9-10 says, "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not
inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor £homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves,
nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the
kingdom of God."
You and I have two choices according to God's word. We will either belong
to the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Satan. The Kingdom of God
brings us new peace, joy, love, gentleness, patience, self-control, forgiving
hearts, and the confidence that we will live eternally with our Creator who
has prepared a wonderful new place for us.
The Kingdom of Satan brings greed, jealousy, coveting, hatred, lust,
murder, resentments, pride, lies and selfishness. Consider what kind of
society this brings. Actually, we have a constantly reminder of what it is like
to live in the Kingdom of Satan as we read about this world that has so
many wars even in our day. There are stories where human indifference
allows many people to starve because people are self-centered. We hear
horror stories of rape, murder, cheating and broken families that leave
children confused and hurt.
Our loving Father comes to His children offering them the privilege of
becoming part of His Kingdom on earth so we might eventually be
transferred to His eternal Kingdom where love, joy, peace, self-control,
gentleness and eternal blessings rule.
You and I have an invitation from our God through His perfect word. This
invitation is found throughout Scripture, but there is a wonderful one in
Isaiah 55:7 where God says, "Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous
man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to
our God, For He will abundantly pardon."
This invitation is given to people so entrapped in their sins, in bondage to
their human natures. We are so hopelessly dominated by our old natures
that feed on sin that we can only whimper as we hear this invitation. God
sends His Holy Spirit to make it possible for any man, woman or child to
respond by replying, "Lord help me. I am a sinner and cannot change my
old nature. I claim Jesus as my Messiah, trusting in His blood, and ask for
your Holy Spirit to transform me by giving me a new nature that will
dominate that old one that hold me in bondage."
From this day forward, there is a battle that is renewed each day. Our old
natures want to take control of our lives so sin can dominate us once
again. The secret to victory is that God's people know they cannot rely on
their own strength. Each day the invite God's Spirit to cleanse them from
any sins that might be trying to gain control again. They ask that the Spirit
of God will empower them and use them this day to bring glory to our
Triune God. Once we confess our sins, claim Jesus as our Savior and invite
the Spirit of God to govern us each day, we begin to see the new nature
God has given us get stronger and stronger.
Prayer: Father God, I come to you through Jesus, my Savior. I ask you to
forgive my sins, send your Spirit into my life and cleanse me each day from
my sins. Give me the grace I need to strengthen my new nature so that I
might serve you. Amen.
are some congregations where they never hear the word 'sin' because the
pastor knows it may upset people. The problem is that this word plays a
significant role in Scripture as God identifies the nature of human beings
after the fall.
The earliest use of this word is found in Gen. 4:6-7: " “Why are you angry? And
why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you
do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over
it.” These verses hold a clue for all mankind. The desire of sin is to take over our
lives, to destroy the fellowship God planned to have with us.
No one should underestimate the power of sin in the lives of human beings.
Even though God warned Cain against his sin of hatred, he was so
obsessed with it that he refused to listen to God's warning. He killed his
brother Abel, ignoring the consequence for murder. God had to send him
away from his family to stress the reality that sin brings alienation from God
and those we love.
One would think that we human beings would learn to be more aware of the
dangers of sin, especially those that bring spiritual death like, pride, anger,
selfishness, jealousy, greed, coveting, resentments, lusts, indifference to
the needs of others, unforgiving, and self-willed. There are many warnings
concerning these sins throughout Scripture but let's take a look at two of
them.
I Corinthians 6;9-10 says, "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not
inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor £homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves,
nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the
kingdom of God."
You and I have two choices according to God's word. We will either belong
to the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Satan. The Kingdom of God
brings us new peace, joy, love, gentleness, patience, self-control, forgiving
hearts, and the confidence that we will live eternally with our Creator who
has prepared a wonderful new place for us.
The Kingdom of Satan brings greed, jealousy, coveting, hatred, lust,
murder, resentments, pride, lies and selfishness. Consider what kind of
society this brings. Actually, we have a constantly reminder of what it is like
to live in the Kingdom of Satan as we read about this world that has so
many wars even in our day. There are stories where human indifference
allows many people to starve because people are self-centered. We hear
horror stories of rape, murder, cheating and broken families that leave
children confused and hurt.
Our loving Father comes to His children offering them the privilege of
becoming part of His Kingdom on earth so we might eventually be
transferred to His eternal Kingdom where love, joy, peace, self-control,
gentleness and eternal blessings rule.
You and I have an invitation from our God through His perfect word. This
invitation is found throughout Scripture, but there is a wonderful one in
Isaiah 55:7 where God says, "Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous
man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to
our God, For He will abundantly pardon."
This invitation is given to people so entrapped in their sins, in bondage to
their human natures. We are so hopelessly dominated by our old natures
that feed on sin that we can only whimper as we hear this invitation. God
sends His Holy Spirit to make it possible for any man, woman or child to
respond by replying, "Lord help me. I am a sinner and cannot change my
old nature. I claim Jesus as my Messiah, trusting in His blood, and ask for
your Holy Spirit to transform me by giving me a new nature that will
dominate that old one that hold me in bondage."
From this day forward, there is a battle that is renewed each day. Our old
natures want to take control of our lives so sin can dominate us once
again. The secret to victory is that God's people know they cannot rely on
their own strength. Each day the invite God's Spirit to cleanse them from
any sins that might be trying to gain control again. They ask that the Spirit
of God will empower them and use them this day to bring glory to our
Triune God. Once we confess our sins, claim Jesus as our Savior and invite
the Spirit of God to govern us each day, we begin to see the new nature
God has given us get stronger and stronger.
Prayer: Father God, I come to you through Jesus, my Savior. I ask you to
forgive my sins, send your Spirit into my life and cleanse me each day from
my sins. Give me the grace I need to strengthen my new nature so that I
might serve you. Amen.
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