This article is a part of the series “Help me understand” which is in response to the constructive criticism I received from one of my visitors regarding the article “Retake.”
Please read “Retake” and “Help me understand Part One” to understand the reason behind the series better.
Again, Disclaimer: I am not a pastor. I didn’t study at a Bible college. This is just my understanding of the verses I put here. I recommend talking to your pastor or small group leader about everything that is written in High3r.com.
What does the Bible say about the consequence of sin?
Galatians 6:7-8 New International Version (NIV)
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Like that visitor, I believe with all my heart that God punishes sinners for their sins. I think that there are consequences to sin, and if we don’t stop sinning, it will devour us and it causes our downfall because it’s written in the Bible.
My take on it
The Bible doesn’t contradict itself, and I believe that it is possible for us to be forgiven and at the same time reap the consequence of our sin.
For example, a guy kills a man. He goes to jail. Serves his time. He suffers the consequences of his actions. However, he can still be forgiven and be blessed while he’s in jail.
There are stories in the Bible that show that God decides if He allows the consequences of our sins to affect us.
Before we even talk about these stories, I would like us to understand that we will never comprehend God’s reasons all the time (That’s what I believe). However, if we trust and obey Him despite our lack of understanding regarding His purpose, we will be awesome.
In this article, we will talk about the positive possibilities regarding the consequences of sin.
Choose your poison
God can let you choose your punishment. This happened to David, and you can read it in 2 Samuel, chapter 24. David did a census of the army of Israel, and this displeased God. Instead of punishing David right away, He allowed David to choose the penalty for his sins. I even think that David got a reduced sentence because when he pleaded with God, God just asked him to worship and his punishment ceased.
No effect
God can choose to give us a free pass for the consequence of our sin. This happened to Abraham, and you can read all about it in Genesis chapter 20.
Abraham’s wife Sarah was lovely. Because of this, Abraham feared that men would kill him to steal her. So he lied about Sarah and told everyone that she was her sister. His lie backfired, and a king took Sarah from him. Instead of punishing Abraham, God went to the king instead.
I know we talked about positive possibilities regarding the consequences of sin. However, we should be cautious about sinning. There is a high possibility that you may lose you breakthrough because of sin and if disregarded, it can destroy our lives.
We are going to talk about the negative possibilities of sin in the next article.
Just remember it’s all about Jesus. Seek Jesus always and desire God’s plan in our lives. Let’s soar higher! Spread positivity! Share good vibes!