ANCHORS FOR THE SOUL:

The Consequences of Sin

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   The Christian life is a good life.  In fact, it is the best life a person can live.

 

B.   However, it is not always easy to live the Christian life.  It involves a fight, a war, a spiritual battle against Satan, our archenemy who is out to destroy us (1 Pet. 5:8).

 

C.   To win the battle, we must be strong.

1.    1 Corinthians 16:13

 

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

 

2.    Ephesians 6:10

 

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

 

3.    2 Timothy 2:1

 

Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

 

D.   When we are strong, we are anchored.  We are secure.  We are steadfast. 

 

E.   What makes us anchored?  There are many answers that we expect to be on that list.

1.    Faith

2.    God’s Word

3.    Prayer

4.    The church

 

F.    In this lesson, we will be looking at “The Consequences of Sin.”

 

I.             THE WHAT

 

A.   Consequences

1.    Definition:  the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier

2.    Types:

a.    Natural:  inevitable results due to decisions or actions

1)    Smoking:  high blood pressure, breathing problems, cancer

2)    Overspending:  debt, no savings, poverty, no retirement

3)    Committing adultery:  a divorce is desired by the innocent party

b.    Logical:  a consequence that is closely aligned to the decision or behavior

1)    Homework not done after school:  no TV, computer, games, that night until the homework is completed

2)    Rock through a window:  the child works to get money to pay for the window

3)    Killing a person in cold blood:  life for a life

c.    Arbitrary:  the consequence has nothing to do with the bad behavior

1)    A child hits another child:  timeout, a spanking

2)    Robbing a bank:  20 years of jail time

3)    Refusing to work and being a busy body:  withdrawal of fellowship by the church

d.    Eternal:  consequences that impact a person’s life into eternity

1)    A hard heart

2)    Death

3)    Punishment in hell

 

B.   Sin

1.    Sin is the transgression of God’s law (1 John 3:4).

 

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law:  for sin is the transgression of the law.

 

2.    Sin is evil:  desires, deeds, designs, and developments.

3.    Sin separates from God (Isa. 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.

 

II.           THE WHERE

 

A.   The Present

1.    There are times when consequences are immediate.

2.    When Lot’s wife looked back after being told not to do so, she was turned into a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:17; 26).

 

And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed…But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

 

B.   The Future

1.    Some consequences are not immediate, but will occur in this lifetime at some point in the future.

2.    David’s sin with Bathsheba and against Uriah involved future consequences.

a.    “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house” (2 Sam. 12:10).

b.    “I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house” (2 Sam. 12:11)

c.    “I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun” (2 Sam. 12:11)

d.    “The child also that is born unto thee shall surely die” (2 Sam. 12:14).

 

C.   In Eternity

1.    Separation from God

2.    Torment

3.    Fire and flames

4.    Outer darkness

5.    Weeping and gnashing of teeth

6.    No relief

7.    The sting of memory

 

III.         THE WHO

 

A.   Sin

1.    The sin itself often brings the consequences into our lives.

2.    Romans 1:27b

 

…and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

 

3.    Example:  persistent drug use leads to addiction

B.   Others

1.    Parents can give consequences (Prov. 23:13-14).

2.    Legal officials can give consequences (Rom. 13:4b).

 

…for he beareth not the sword in vain:  for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

 

3.    Those we sin against might bring consequences (Ex., Simeon and Levi against Shechem because he defiled their sister, Gen. 34:25-27).

 

C.   The church

1.    The church has been authorized to give consequences to sin.

2.    There are different avenues:

a.    Rebuke (1 Tim. 5:20; 2 Tim. 4:2)

 

Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

 

b.    Withdrawal of fellowship (Rom. 16:17; 2 Thess. 3:6)

 

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

 

D.   God (Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30)

 

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath:  for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

 

IV.         THE WHY

 

A.   The deceptive nature of sin

 

B.   The vengeance of others

 

C.   The commands of God

1.    Parents

2.    The church

3.    Government

 

D.   The wrath of God

 

V.           THE WISDOM

 

A.   Seeing and experiencing the consequences of sin teaches us some things.

1.    If we transgress God’s commands, we can lose many things:  good name, relationships, health, life, desires of life, soul, respect, influence, an audience, eternal reward.

2.    It is wiser to keep away from wrongs than to commit them and have to suffer sin’s evil effects.

3.    Fear is a healthy emotion at times (2 Cor. 5:11).

 

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…

 

4.    We must not be deceived into thinking that the benefits of sin outweigh the punishment that has been decreed.

a.    Eve knew the punishment for sin (Gen. 3:2-3).

And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:  but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

 

b.    However, she let the benefits of the fruit deceive her (Gen. 3:6).

 

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat.

 

5.    When consequences are delayed, or, when others do not experience them, we should not be fooled into thinking they do not exist.

a.    Examples:

1)    Not everyone who has smoked has gotten cancer and died.

2)    There are some criminals who have engaged in illegal activities for years and have never been caught.

b.    Eternal consequences will always catch up to us (Eccl. 12:14).

 

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be bad.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We can learn from the past.

 

B.   We do not have to repeat the mistakes of the past.

 

C.   We can do better. 

 

D.   We can be better.