The Consequences of Sin
Introduction
Have you ever wondered why there is so much suffering, death, violence, and brokenness in the world? Why did Adam and Eve lose access to the Garden of Eden? Why did God destroy the world with a flood? Why were the languages of mankind confused at Babel? Why does the Bible speak so often about death, judgment, and separation from God?
The answer is found in understanding the consequences of sin. Many people view sin as a mistake, a weakness, or simply poor choices. But the Bible presents sin as something far more serious.
Sin is rebellion against a holy God. And that rebellion carries consequences that affect every part of our lives. It affects our relationship with God. It affects our relationship with others. It affects our hearts. It affects our world. And it affects our eternal destiny.
In our previous teaching, The Sovereign God and the Failure of Man, we saw that mankind repeatedly failed while God remained faithful to His promises.
Today, we're going to look at what mankind's rebellion has produced. Today, we're going to examine The Consequences of Our Sin.
Explore what Scripture teaches about the consequences of sin and mankind's need for a Savior.
Consequence #1: Spiritual Death
The first consequence of sin is spiritual death. Before Adam and Eve sinned, they enjoyed fellowship with God. But God warned Adam:
"In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
— Genesis 2:17 (ESV)
When Adam ate the fruit, he did not immediately die physically. But he died spiritually. His fellowship with God was broken. His nature became corrupted. His relationship with God changed.
Paul describes mankind's condition this way:
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins."
— Ephesians 2:1 (ESV)
This is not physical death. It is spiritual death. A condition in which mankind is separated from God and unable to restore himself. Spiritual death does not mean mankind ceased to exist. Adam was still physically alive. He could still think, work, speak, and make decisions.
But something had changed within him. His heart was no longer alive toward God. His nature became corrupted. Before the Fall, Adam delighted in God's presence. After the Fall, he became spiritually dead and unable to restore that relationship himself.
But his relationship with God had been broken. Before the Fall, Adam delighted in fellowship with God. After the Fall, he hid from God. Before the Fall, Adam lived in innocence. After the Fall, he experienced guilt and shame.
This is the condition every person inherits. We are born physically alive, but spiritually dead. We are born separated from God and unable to restore that relationship by our own efforts. Spiritual death changed what mankind was on the inside.
The next consequence changed mankind's relationship with God Himself.
Consequence #2: Separation From God
Spiritual death immediately produced another consequence: separation from God. Immediately after Adam and Eve sinned, they hid from God. The very God they once enjoyed now became the One from whom they fled.
Before the Fall, Adam desired God's presence. After the Fall, he fled from it. Genesis tells us that God drove them from the Garden. The cherubim and flaming sword stood guard.
Humanity was expelled from the place where it had enjoyed intimate fellowship with God. Access was denied.
Isaiah explains why:
"Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God."
— Isaiah 59:2 (ESV)
Sin separates. It separates mankind from the God who created him. This is why guilt, shame, and fear entered the world. Humanity lost the intimate fellowship it once enjoyed with its Creator.
Consequence #3: Corruption of Human Nature
Sin did not merely affect Adam and Eve. It affected every descendant who came after them. Before long, Cain murdered Abel. Lamech boasted about violence. The world became filled with wickedness.
Scripture tells us:
"Every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
— Genesis 6:5 (ESV)
Sin corrupted the human heart. The mind was affected. The desires were affected. The will was affected. Paul summarizes:
"None is righteous, no, not one."
— Romans 3:10 (ESV)
Sin is not merely something we do. It is something that has corrupted who we are.
Consequence #4: Broken Relationships
Sin not only separated mankind from God. It also damaged human relationships. Immediately after the Fall, Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the serpent. Cain murdered his brother. Conflict entered the family. Conflict entered society. Conflict entered nations.
Every broken marriage. Every act of violence. Every betrayal. Every war. Every injustice. Ultimately traces back to the entrance of sin into God's creation. The world is broken because sin has broken it.
Consequence #5: Physical Death
One of the most visible consequences of sin is physical death. Paul writes:
"Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin."
— Romans 5:12 (ESV)
Death was never part of God's original creation. Death entered through sin. Every funeral. Every cemetery. Every hospital room. Every obituary. Reminds us that Genesis 3 happened. The reality of death surrounds us because the wages of sin is death.
Consequence #6: Bondage to Sin
Many people think sin produces freedom. The Bible teaches the opposite. Jesus said:
"Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin."
— John 8:34 (ESV)
Sin promises freedom. But it produces bondage. The addict cannot stop. The liar continues lying. The immoral person continues pursuing sin. The proud heart continues resisting God. Sin becomes a master. What begins as a choice often becomes a chain.
We see this throughout Scripture. Pharaoh repeatedly hardened his heart against God. Samson continually toyed with temptation until it destroyed him. Judas repeatedly rejected the truth until he betrayed Christ.
Sin rarely remains where it begins. It grows. It gains influence. It demands more. Many people believe they can control their sin. The Bible warns that sin eventually seeks to control the sinner.
The previous consequences affect life in this world. The final consequence reaches beyond this life and into eternity.
Consequence #7: Eternal Judgment
The most serious consequence of sin is eternal judgment. Scripture teaches:
"It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment."
— Hebrews 9:27 (ESV)
Every person will one day stand before God. The Bible teaches that God is perfectly just. Every sin committed against Him will be accounted for. Nothing is hidden from His sight. Nothing is forgotten. Nothing escapes His judgment.
The same holiness that makes God worthy of worship also requires Him to judge sin. Revelation describes a final judgment in which the books are opened. Those not found written in the Book of Life face eternal separation from God.
This is the ultimate consequence of sin. Sin is not merely a problem for this life. It has eternal consequences.
Conclusion
When we look at Scripture, we see that sin has produced:
· Spiritual death
· Separation from God
· Corruption of human nature
· Broken relationships
· Physical death
· Bondage to sin
· Eternal judgment
This is why mankind's rebellion is such a serious matter. This is why the Bible speaks so often about sin. And this leaves us with an unavoidable question:
If sin has brought spiritual death, separation from God, corruption, brokenness, bondage, and judgment, then the most important question we can ask is this:
If sin has brought spiritual death, separation from God, corruption, brokenness, bondage, physical death, and eternal judgment, is there any hope for mankind?
In our next teaching, we'll answer that question as we examine why every person must eventually come to the same conclusion:
I Need a Savior.
Continue Your Study
This teaching focused on the problem of sin and mankind's need for redemption. If you would like to explore God's solution through Jesus Christ and learn what the Bible teaches about true salvation, consider reading my book:
From Death to Life: A Biblical Guide to True Salvation
Available through Amazon and other booksellers.
