THE PRICE OF SIN

From the beginning of time the cost of sin has been high. It cost Adam and Eve the right to the tree of life. (Gen. 3:24) It cost Israel the lives of all those over twenty their right to the promised land. (Num. 32:11.12) and, as we read below, it cost Judah seventy years of captivity in Babylon.

"From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even unto this day, these three and twenty years, the word of Jehovah hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising up early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened. And Jehovah hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, (but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear,) saying, Return ye now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that Jehovah hath given unto you and to your fathers, from of old and even for evermore; and go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the work of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith Jehovah; that ye may provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own hurt. Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Because ye have not heard my words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith Jehovah, and I will send unto Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations. Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years." (Jer. 25:3-11)

The Bible contains numerous examples, as well as teaching, warning that sin is not free. In the book of Jeramiah the phrase "you did not listen" or you did not harken" are found many times. It is apparent that they were refusing to listen to the prophet, or prophets. Many warnings were given, but few, if any, were heeded.

Most of us have heard the warning "There is no free lunch". Everything has some cost. When making decisions about life, especially the christian life, we need to count what the cost is before going ahead with an action (SIN). (Lk.14:28) Is commiting adultery really worth breaking up your family, ruining your reputation, or getting incurable diseases? Are the consequences of stealing, cheating, lying worth losing your job, going to prison,or offending friends? Is the pleasures of any sin worth the cost of your soul? (

God asked us over and over to listen to the warnings He has sent by the prophets, Christ and His apostles. They ALL tell us that sin will bring punishment in the form of losing our eternal reward. (Rom. 6:23) Although we are not under the Old Testament (Mosaic) law today, its examples are still there for our learning, and there are many examples of punishment to both individuals and nations (including God's chosen nation) for disobedience to his commands and teaching.

WHY DOES MAN THINK that God will ignore disobedience. Every scripture indicates otherwise. Here is how God really looks at it "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them".(Eph. 5:3-7) "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortion ers will inherit the kingdom of God." (I Cor. 6:9,10) See also Heb. 2: 2-4 & Heb. 4:11-13.

Have we become hardened to sin? (Heb. 3:13) In our nation that certainly seems to be one reason. Long ago Paul predicted "that in the last days grievous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away." (II Tim. 3:1-4) Do we think God does not know what we are doing? Again we are told "And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do". (Heb. 4:13) Do we think His grace will overcome our willing sin? Paul indicates that is not safe doctrine. "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? (Rom. 6:1) God simply will not accept any reason for disobedience. This is sown many times in His dealings with Israel all through the Old Testament, and by many New Testament scriptures.

Do not be fooled by the false idea that God is to loving or kind to punish sin. His very nature will not allow Him to to lie,(Titus 1:2, Heb. 6:18) and that is what he would be guilty of if he did not punish sin when He said He would.

Remember, " God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19

Rest assured, you will lose eternal life if you sin. What are you giving (or doing) in exchange for your soul? (Mt. 16:26)

Jack

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