The Consequences of Sin

Have we become lackadaisical towards sin?
Knowing that our sins are paid, we have been redeemed and are now under grace and no longer under the law.
Have we allowed ourselves to become watered down and non-effectual Christians?

Romans 6:1-2

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Our sins are forgiven, as Christians we are no longer under the penalty of spiritual death because of our sin.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sin still has consequence, shown through out the Bible. Though we are free from the horror of everlasting separation from God. Sin has a consequence on our lives, both physically and spiritually.

Genesis 3:16-19

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 

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.

Sin caused Adam and Eve to be cast out of the Garden of Eden, pain and suffering for all mankind, pain and suffering in procreation, hardship, and work for food. The very ground was cursed against us.

Genesis 9:2-6

And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.  

God destroyed the world because of mankind's sin, saving only Noah and family, and the animals in the ark. After which God cursed mankind by causing animals to fear, dread, and cause to kill man. Animals now became a source of food for man, up to this point man only ate the green herb. Man killing man and requiring life for life. Sin is removing peace.

Genesis 16:11-12

And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

Genesis 21:18

Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

Because of Abraham and Sarah's sin we have Ishmael, the father of the Arab nations. Setting into motion more strife and discord.

Numbers 20:12

And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. 

Deuteronomy 34:4-5

And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

Because of sin Moses was kept out of the promised land. Because of sin David, a man after God's own heart was not allowed to build the Temple.

Acts 13:22

And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. 

1 Chronicles 28:2-3

Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:
But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.

We have numerous examples how sin and its consequences have scarred mankind from the beginning through to today. Satan and his evil, tempting and plying the world and the saved with a season of pleasure, worldly, fleshly desires, causing man to put himself before God.

As Christians we have a commitment to keep...
We have accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are new creatures, we are not bound by sin, God promises to provide a way out of temptation. God commands us to be holy as He is holy.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Romans 6:11-14

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

1 Corinthians 10:13

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

1 peter 1:14-16

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

God provides all the tools for us to resist sin, for us to be holy as He is holy. God chastens us, corrects us, forgives our sins. God wants us to have fellowship with Him and other believers so that the scars of sin can be reduced, so that we don't limit our ministry by the consequence of sin. Sin by members of the Body of Christ cause the discourse we see today, the ineffectual witness and reconciliation of the world to God.

James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Hebrews 12:5-7

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Corinthians 6:14-16

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  

This is the consequence of a Christian's lackadaisical attitude towards sin, loosing fellowship with God and the Body of Christ.
Causing the unsaved to harden their hearts, sending potential converts to hell instead of Salvation.
Causing our Brothers and Sisters in Christ to stumble and fail.
Weakening our Churches.
Harming the Body of Christ.

Galatians 5:9

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 

We can not have fellowship with sin, we must be separate from the world while living in the world, a beacon of light for the world.

If not, at best we are of no effect, at worst we become satan's helper.

We must revive our commitment to God, understand that we should be in His Word, sanctifying ourselves daily, striving to lead a sinless and holy life so that we can be the ambassadors of God.

God is so gracious and loving, he sent his Son, who died on the cross for our sins, made us new again, redeemed us, providing everything we need to be holy as He is holy.
We only need to be in His Word, allow the Holy Ghost to work in our lives. Then we can be healthy, effectual members of the Body of Christ.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 

1 John 2:27

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

God has given us his all.

Let's not be lackadaisical, let's be committed, earnestly seeking His righteousness, striving to live every moment for Him.

Sinner to Christian, God's Power and Sanctification

As a Christian I am a new creature, at the moment I accepted Christ as my Savior my sins were forgiven, past, future, and present, at the time you accept Christ as your Savior, your sin is washed away and completely forgiven.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Romans 6:4

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Acts 10:43

To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Acts 13:37-39

But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Ephesians 2:4-9

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Now that we have been made new, adopted into the Body of Christ, a child of God. We must start reading the Word of God, We should read the Bible daily. Without it, we do not know or understand how to live for God, the Bible is the living Word of God and provides instruction, reproof, and righteousness.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

We need the Word of God so that we may be equipped to stand righteous in the world, it provides our weapon against evil, and allows us to know and discern spiritual matters. The Bible is our manual for success and prosperity from the world in the Kingdom of God.

Ephesians 6:17

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Joshua 1:8

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

We have the Holy Spirit to comfort and teach us through the Word of God how to walk in newness of life.

John 14:16-17 and 26 

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

1 John 2:27

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 

Christians, this means that we have all the tools needed to live and sanctify ourselves to a sinless and perfect life in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! All we have to do is submit to God's will and put our trust and faith in God. We must do as God commands and live in obedience, as children of God we have his mercy and grace, Christ the Redeemer, his Holy Word, and the Holy Ghost as our teacher and comforter.

Living for God, immersing ourselves in his Word provides freedom, and release from being the servant of sin.

James 1:22-25

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

John 8:31-36

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

God wants us to be free from sin and provides all the tools needed, and commands us to be sinless.

James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 peter 1:14-16

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

1 Corinthians 10:13

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

James 1:12-17

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

How marvelous and wonderful God is. His mercy and grace, providing for us in every way. Protecting us, nurturing us, and preparing our way. I urge you to read God's Word. Sanctify yourself to God's will. Your joy will be overflowing.