Sin has consequences...

“The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.”’

“‘You will not surely die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” (Genesis 3:2-5, NIV)

“You will not surely die.”

Satan is calling into question or minimizing what God has said about the consequences of sin. Notice, he doesn’t even try to convince Eve that God didn’t say, “Don’t eat the fruit.” He ignores the facts and goes for the heart.

In our day Satan does the same. He argues from emotion.

“A loving God wouldn’t send anyone to hell,” he says. “You’re a pretty decent guy. He’ll let you in to Heaven if there is such a place. If there is a hell, it’s for Hitler or Stalin or really bad folks.”

Alternatively, he’ll say, “Give in just this once. Who’s going to know? And anyway no one’s going to get hurt. It’s harmless fun.”

And, like sheep, thousands wander off the beaten path and are lost or, following the wrong leader, are led astray.

You know how it works. You begin sinning and can’t quit. You become addicted to what was going to be just once. And “just once” becomes a habit pretty fast and when sin becomes habitual the consequences God warns about in the Bible are going to come.

You will die! There is a real place called hell where the devil and those who do not reject his lies and believe on Jesus will spend eternity. But before that, there are here-and-now consequences for most if not all sins. Suffering. Pain. Misery. Guilt. Shame. Brokenness.

You know I’m right. You’ve seen these things in your friends’ lives. You’ve experienced them yourselves.

Here’s the truth of the matter: Even when repented of, sin has consequences. The rapist who repents does not erase his actions and their effects on the woman he violated. The gossip who repents cannot retrieve her words or repair her victim’s sullied reputation in minutes. The false witness who repents cannot give back the years the innocent man he put behind bars lost. The adulteress who repents does not regain the trust of her husband immediately. The thief who repents won’t likely be able to return the stuff he pawned to its rightful owner. The murderer who repents cannot bring back the precious life he snuffed out.

Forgiveness is received immediately when we cry out to God concerning our sin. Healing of heart and mind – and sometimes body – is often longer in coming. Not that God withholds his love and compassion, grace and help. It’s just that when others are involved, there are relationships to restore. It takes time for that to happen – wounds, especially deep and painful ones don’t heal overnight.

Sin has consequences. Don’t lose heart though. When healing comes, you will be better able to follow Jesus and love others.

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