Wednesday, March 15, 2006
The Consequences of Sin
When Adam and Eve and the Serpent had done their evil deed, they showed consequences of sin even before God formally judged them. Adam and Eve, rather than determining right and wrong as they had hoped, realized just how wrong they were. They tried to cover themselves with leaves. They tried to hide from God. They were ashamed. They were confused. They were scared. They felt insecure and isolated. These are all results of sin. Before the Tower of Babel, they were already confused, and used messed up language. They knew they could not hide from God. They knew they could not hide their sin. They gave it a good old college try, because they were not thinking consistent with God's character.
This week, I won't quote a reformed theologian, but a friend and theologian Dr. Jim Steel. He says, quite eloquently, "All wrong thinking ultimately stems from wrong thinking about God. Wrong thinking results in wrong attitudes. Wrong attitudes result in wrong actions. Wrong actions result in wrong consequences." This is the fundamental consequence of sin.
In summary then, sin's consequences were and are confusion (sin clouds the mind), degradation (sin gets worse and worse), enmity (the state of being enemies) with God, and judgment by God.
Here we see God, coming to Adam to judge the sin that Adam had committed. More than a testimony to the sinfulness of man, this is a testimony of the justice of God. He gave a command, Adam did not follow it, and God had to judge that breaking of the law.
This can be both tremendously comforting or tremendously troubling. It is comforting because we know that amidst all the confusion of sin and the vast unknown, Somebody knows and Somebody cares. God does. It is comforting because God is consistent. He kept His part of the bargain. There is tremendous security in having a firm foundation for truth and justice. It is troubling because Adam, having sinned, had to undergo that justice. It is troubling because every natural born descendent of Adam stands in the same judgment. We stand in it because we are his offspring. Conceived by sinners, we are sinners still. We have confusion, degradation, and are enemies of God. This is the practical, troubling result of sin.
This week, I won't quote a reformed theologian, but a friend and theologian Dr. Jim Steel. He says, quite eloquently, "All wrong thinking ultimately stems from wrong thinking about God. Wrong thinking results in wrong attitudes. Wrong attitudes result in wrong actions. Wrong actions result in wrong consequences." This is the fundamental consequence of sin.
In summary then, sin's consequences were and are confusion (sin clouds the mind), degradation (sin gets worse and worse), enmity (the state of being enemies) with God, and judgment by God.
Here we see God, coming to Adam to judge the sin that Adam had committed. More than a testimony to the sinfulness of man, this is a testimony of the justice of God. He gave a command, Adam did not follow it, and God had to judge that breaking of the law.
This can be both tremendously comforting or tremendously troubling. It is comforting because we know that amidst all the confusion of sin and the vast unknown, Somebody knows and Somebody cares. God does. It is comforting because God is consistent. He kept His part of the bargain. There is tremendous security in having a firm foundation for truth and justice. It is troubling because Adam, having sinned, had to undergo that justice. It is troubling because every natural born descendent of Adam stands in the same judgment. We stand in it because we are his offspring. Conceived by sinners, we are sinners still. We have confusion, degradation, and are enemies of God. This is the practical, troubling result of sin.
