The Consequence of Sin
Here is something that I am starting to see just a wee bit more clearly, but am still trying to more fully understand, but then it is impossible to understand sin, for it is foreign, it is an intruder, it just deceptively slips on in, causes mayhem and damage, and when ruin has taken over, death and serious damage is inflicted, sin is then seeking whom it may devour, searching for its very next victim, sort of what we understand a ‘Virus’ likes to do, sneaks on in, takes over, replicates, kills and then to swiftly moves right onwards to its next victim. Quote; “The entrance of sin into heaven cannot be explained. If it were explainable, it would show that there was some reason for sin. But as there was not the least excuse for it, its origin will ever remain shrouded in mystery. God did not create evil. He only made the good, which was like Himself . . . Thus evil, sin, and death, these are the result of disobedience, which originated in Satan.” {TA 31} 1 Peter 5:7-8 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” Being eaten up and consumed, becoming breakfast to Satan and evil. Here are some cases from Scripture that show some of the eternal loses caused by sin and by letting God and the Team down.
Genesis 3:20-21 “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” Genesis 3:23-24 “Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden, Cherubims, and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” Leviticus 7:8 “And the priest that offereth any man’s burnt offering, [even] the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he hath offered.” The consequences for sin was separation from God, no more face to face, well except for Moses that is. Men get thorns and thistles, sweaty brows from trying to scratch out something to live upon. Eve lost her equality to Adam, Eve had greatly multiplied sorrow, with sorrow and childbirth grief, and a husband to rule over her, and to tenderly nurture her (Gen 3:16) Though ‘Forgiven,’ repentance and sacrifice made, but they still wore the skin of their sacrifice as evidence, Jesus covered them with the evidence of their forgiveness, sort of “The Robe of Christ’s Righteousness,” for life was never more the same, the Garden of Eden was locked away from them, eternity gives full access back to them, but never as sole rulership, Jesus being the ‘Second Adam,’ holds that post now as head of the human race.
1 Chronicles 5:1 “Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he [was] the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.” Reuben was still the ‘First Born,’ or ‘Born First,’ but though forgiven, the ‘Birthright’ was transferred to the firstborn of Racheal skipping down the family list somewhat. Reuben still has a tribe mentioned in the 144,000, he is still head of his Tribe, and has a gate in the New Jerusalem, but he never regains the ‘Birthright’ status.
Moses and Aaron were not allowed to pass over into Canaan, only Caleb and Joshua, these two left Egypt, and out of the millions of adults who left at the start of the Exodus, only just two finished the course and walked on in. Sin had claimed the lives of so many adults, and their graves were many, and littered the path of their journey. Deuteronomy 32:50-51 “And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people: because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.” Moses let God down, took to himself the glory and praise due to God alone, let the team down in a critical crisis, so they had to step down and to step aside from leadership.
Elijah made a huge victory on Mount Carmel, but wobbled and dropped the ball in a critical situation, fled far away, ran right into God waiting for him in the desert, but still lost his job as ‘Prophet.’ 1 Kings 19:16 “And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint [to be] prophet in thy room.”
Consider now Esau, Hebrews 12:16-17 “Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”
King Saul to King David; King Saul lost his job, 1 Samuel 15:23 “For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king.” 1 Samuel 16:13-14 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him [David] in the midst of his brethren: and the spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. But the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.” Judas Iscariot to Mathias, Acts 1:25-26 “That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.” Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Sin leaves scars, some are very deep, and we often still flinch and hurt again from our past failings, though forgiven, we move forwards, so let us not even sin in the very first place, let us not be wounded, but be aware always of “The Consequences of Sin.” Matthew 5:19 “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 11:11 “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Sin can so easily make you, “Least in the Kingdom of God,” or even drop you down below John the Baptist, in which case, you are eternally locked out of the Kingdom, Oh the terrible “Consequences of Sin.” Matthew 18:2-5 “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.” Let us all when Judged, may we never have to face “The Consequences of Sin,” but have to face the ‘Consequences of living Righteously,’ living ‘In Christ,’ and the door to Heaven and Eternity is graciously opened wide to welcome us home. Quote; “Satan’s work of ruin is forever ended . . . While God is to the wicked a consuming fire, He is to His people both a sun and a shield . . . The fire that consumes the wicked purifies the earth. Every trace of the curse is swept away. No eternally burning hell will keep before the ransomed the fearful consequences of sin. One reminder alone remains: Our Redeemer will ever bear the marks of His crucifixion. Upon His wounded head, upon His side, His hands and feet, are the only traces of the cruel work that sin has wrought. {CTr 372} Zechariah 13:6 “And [one] shall say unto him, What [are] these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, [Those] with which I was wounded [in] the house of my friends.” “The Consequences of sin,” are vast and deadly, let us therefore be bonded to Christ, sin free and looking forwards to the ‘Consequences of Salvation.’
