CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

1. Our world pays a lot of attention to consequences.

2. When it comes time to select a Supreme Court justice, people say, “think about the consequences.”

3. In the news we read about companies hiring employees and reducing work forces.

4. Both actions have consequences.

5. Our world pays attention to end results.

WHEN WE CONSIDER THIS IT IS NOT SURPRISING TO SEE THAT IN THE SCRIPTURES THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT CONSEQUENCES.

a) Tonight we want to look at the consequences of sin.

b) Lots of accounts in the Bible deal with the effect sin had on the lives of people.

c) All my verses will be given in order and they start in the book of Genesis.

d) Gen. 3:6 tells us that Adam and Eve violated God’s law; this was an act of sin.

e) Because of this act there were consequences – verses 7-8 – READ.

f) Here is an example of sin and the consequences were guilt and shame.

2) In Gen. 4 (Cain and Abel) we learn how a brother engaged in murder.

a) There were consequences from this action.

b) Think of how Adam and Eve must have felt; there were consequences for the parents.

c) Gen. 4:12 adds this – READ.

d) Cain said his punishment was greater than he could bear (verse 13).

e) People can think life is difficult before consequences come; afterwards things can be overwhelming.

3) Gen. 6 also illustrates consequences from sin.

4) Men and women were thinking terrible things on a regular basis (Gen. 6:5).

5) The consequence of this was a world-wide flood (verse 7).

6) All these examples are fairly well known; a passage that is lesser known is found in Deut. 29.

a) On the plains of Moab (Deut. 29:1) Moses re-stated information from the covenant given at Sinai.

b) Moses reminded the people how they had been delivered from Egyptian bondage.

c) As the Hebrews were in the wilderness, God performed a miracle with the people’s shoes.

d) During the wilderness wanderings shoes did not wear out (go bad).

e) Imagine having a pair of shoes for 40 years and after regular use they are still in great shape!

f) This is what happened to the Hebrews. The same thing was true for the people’s clothing.

g) Imagine having a pair of pants that we regularly wear for 40 years and they stay good year after year.

h) Part of the wilderness wandering and God’s care was to show the Hebrews they had been helped by God.

i) We want to look at verse 18 – READ.

j) If people in Israel started to turn away from God, Jehovah would afflict them.

k) God made the point by appealing to a vine or plant—a poisonous plant.

l) Punishment would be like God putting a poisonous plant among the people.

m) It would take a little while to grow, but it would grow and it would destroy.

7) Making bad choices results in destructive consequences time and time again.

8) Even non-religious people often agree this is true.

9) Our prisons are filled with citizens who found that wrong choices led to an undesirable consequence.

10) Not long ago there was a national newspaper article about colleges and “binge drinking.”

11) One young man went off to college and became involved in this type of activity. He died.

12) We read accounts of how people used illegal drugs and destroyed their health or lost their lives.

13) Consequences of sin destroy spiritually, mentally and physically.

14) We will not read the entire account, but 1 Kgs. 13 says a lot about consequences.

a) God told a prophet to go see King Jeroboam.

b) This prophet said the pagan altar would be destroyed and a time of reform was coming.

c) Jeroboam didn’t like that message and said the prophet should be arrested.

d) Opposing the prophet caused the king’s arm to be paralyzed.

e) Trying to withstand God or God’s spokesman (who is now Christ) is always a bad move.

f) Later in the story the prophet who rebuked the king was on his way back home.

g) On the way back home this prophet did something God told him not to do.

h) Because this prophet directly disobeyed the will of God, he was attacked and destroyed by a lion.

i) Even a prophet had to pay for the consequences of his sin.

j) At the very end of the chapter we have additional information about the king.

15) This kind said anyone who wanted to be a priest could be a priest.

16) Under the Old Testament system, only Levites were able to be priests.

17) Because this king set up his own system of religion, he had to pay a price.

18) His kingdom was destroyed as well as his family.

19) Paul once said “whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7).

20) This idea is in the New Testament but it is a lot older than the time of Paul and Jesus.

21) In Job 4:8 the text talks about “plowing iniquity” and “sowing trouble.”

22) We can as it were sow sin just as a farmer may plant a corn crop.

23) If we put seeds of sin into the ground (figuratively speaking), we will “reap the same” (a crop).

24) Sometimes consequences are seen as a problem only in a person’s later years.

25) If we commit sin early in life, that’s okay. Just be good when we get older.

a) An older expression (but one still used) is “sowing wild oats.”

b) In the area of Elkhart this practice is certainly all too common.

c) Many think youth is the time test, learn, and explore sin.

d) Making trouble is okay in the early years as long as we eventually get it out of our system.

e) Job 13:26 is a fascinating verse in this regard.

f) Job alleged he was “inheriting the iniquities of his youth.”

g) Mistakes from an earlier time were coming back to haunt him; there were consequences.

h) This was not literally true for him, but this was how he felt.

i) Sins of youth can be punished in age (i.e. later in life).

j) No young person will be perfect; all sin (Rom. 3:23) and none is righteous (Rom. 3:23).

k) There is a difference between choosing what is generally right and deliberately choosing what is wrong.

l) If young people decide to choose what is wrong in their early years, they should expect consequences.

26) Ps. 94:23 is also interesting; this verse says God “brought upon them their own iniquity.”

27) It almost sounds like sin has a boomerang effect.

28) People sin thinking their wrongs will be overlooked and just pass away with time.

29) Consequences have a way of arising from sins and people are reminded of what they did wrong.

30) Also in the book of Psalms (141:10) we find that people can set traps for themselves through sin.

a) It is often the case that people create their own bad consequences.

b) Lots of the people who call preachers have created their own consequences.

c) A typical call from someone in the community might be, “we have no food in the house.”

d) That statement could very well be true.

e) It is true because that household took money and spent it on other things:

i) The household may have chosen cable t.v. instead of milk and bread.

ii) They may have chosen cigarettes instead of cheese.

iii) I have seen people buy lottery tickets instead of eggs and meat.

iv) We reap what we sow.

31) Consequences in the physical world are bad, but in the spiritual realm, they are far worse.

32) Rom. 5:12 says “through one man sin entered into the world.”

33) The latter part of this same verse adds, “so death passed unto all men.”

34) Paul listed several kinds of sin in 1 Cor. 6:9-11.

a) All kinds of immoral acts are listed.

b) If these acts are not corrected, the consequence is denial into the kingdom of God.

c) This same point is made concerning the works of the flesh in Gal. 5:19-21.

d) God says there are consequences—eternal consequences of sin.

35) When people understand this, they often conclude that they want a way of escape.

36) Think of Simon in Acts 8. Peter said this man was in sin.

37) His “heart was not right with God” (verse 21).

38) This man understood there was a consequence for sin and he requested help (verse 24).

39) He said he didn’t want any of things Peter had described to “come upon him.”

40) Several consequences from sin can and do come from God.

41) One benefit from living the Christian life is being freed from the consequences of sin.

42) That is a fantastic spiritual blessing.

43) Choosing the Christian way of living related to consequences in another way.

a) Listen to 1 Pet. 4:4 – READ.

b) Committing ourselves to a Christian life means people will think we are somewhat “strange.”

c) At the end of the verse Peter warned us that othera may “speak evil” against us.

d) He was right.

e) Let’s back up to 1 Pet. 3:16 – READ.

f) Christians are both “spoken against” and “reviled.”

g) Peter had some experience with this – let’s also see 1 Pet. 2:12 – READ.

44) Saying no to the consequences of sin can leave us open to malicious charges.

a) If we are not willing to follow the way of the world, we will not always be well received.

b) This is a consequence of not accepting sin.

c) Living as a Christian will expose us to consequences that are not the most desirable.

d) I have previously said that I work with about 8 others who do a similar job.

e) We almost always eat breakfast together but we do not always see each other at lunchtime.

f) There are times when the others go out to lunch but do not invite me.

45) There are often times when all these other people have information that I don’t have or get late.

46) I have made my career choice and lifestyle choice and that doesn’t make everyone real comfortable.

47) My choice is a whole lot better than having to pay for the consequences of sin.

48) From Genesis to Revelation we are warned about what sin does to people now and in eternity.

49) Do we believe the warnings? Have we heeded the warnings?