By Gerald Cowan
Maybe it’s because He did not pay “the
full price,” including all negative consequences and results
of sin, our own or those of others that can affect us. Maybe
Jesus only paid the part we could not and cannot pay: He did
not die to recover all that we and others have lost by sins.
He did not promise to undo all the damage done by sin or to
prevent sin from occurring again. He made the sacrifice that
makes possible the forgiveness of the guilt of sin – the
free will giving of a sinless life to redeem the sinful
lives of others. Such a sacrifice was and in impossible for
us because our own lives have been stained and corrupted and
forfeited by our own sins. The wages or results of our own
sins is death for us (Ezekiel 18:20, Romans 6:23). We cannot
offer a flawed and polluted life to purchase a new life.
Jesus did not removes all the consequences of sin, either
for the sinners or those sinned against. He was not a
“whipping boy” required, forced, bribed, or paid to take all
the punishment deserved by other persons. Imagine a world or
society in which one could pay or force someone else to
suffer the punishment he himself deserved, even prison or
death, or worse – hell is, of course, the worst possible
punishment. But nobody can go to hell for another. Paul may
have hinted that he would be willing to suffer that eternal
punishment if it could or would save others (Romans 9:-3),
but that may be over-stretching his words. Actually it is
not possible for one to suffer eternal hell in place of
another – even Jesus could not do that. In spite of creeds
that state Jesus “descended into hell,” the fact is he never
did so, and never will.
Do not discount the debt we owe to Christ
for the debt he paid for us. “Jesus paid it all, all to him
I owe” is a valid concept. The idea that “Jesus paid
it all; nothing more I owe” is a comfort claimed by those
who want a completely free ride to heaven with no “works”
required of them personally, like the false “once
saved (by belief in Jesus?) always saved and can’t be lost”
doctrine touted by myriad Protestant churches. But it is
false assurance, counterfeit comfort.
BAPTISM IS NOT A “GET OUT OF JAIL FREE”
CARD. One who is baptized and becomes a Christian in
prison does not get out of prison and should not expect to
be freed – he will still experience the consequences of his
past sin; he will continue to serve out his sentence for his
crimes. A “born again Christian” who falls into sin
(such as adultery, theft, assault) may lose his family, his
job and career, and his reputation etc.—even after he
confesses and repents his sin. Forgiveness does not always,
and may not be required to, remove all the
consequences of the sin. Repentance and baptism may
constitute a new start spiritually, but they do not change
one’s history, do not remove or cancel the offense or the
consequences of it. One may forsake his sin and discontinue
the practice of it but the results and consequences of it
remain. Being forgiven by God assures one that he will not
continue to bear the guilt and spiritual consequences of his
sin. The spiritual consequences of unforgiven sin. and
guilt are spiritual death, the loss of heaven, and eternal
separation from God. There are several consequences of sin,
some of which are irrevocable.
IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCE FOR COMMISSION OF
SIN. One who sins is immediately guilty, whether or
not he knows it and admits it. Judgment is not an
intermittent action, so that one is considered innocent
until judged for sins committed between moments of judgment.
One is guilty from the moment of sin, whether commission or
omission, whether attitude or action. At the moment of sin
and the duration of sin he is under God’s condemnation,
subject to punishment, retribution, spiritual death and
rejection (Romans 6:23) if and until acknowledgment,
repentance, correction, and request for forgiveness are
forthcoming. Guilt and consequences may be augmented and
added to by delay in correcting and being forgiven, but the
initial sin remains independently of any future accretions
or contingent sins. Sinners deserve the consequences of
their own sins (not necessarily the consequences from the
sins of others, though realistically that may not always be
avoided). Christ paid the penalty of our sin by
redeeming us with His own blood sacrifice. He who knew no
sin was made to be the personification of sin on our behalf
(2 Corinthians 5:21). On the basis of Christ’s perfect
sacrifice obedient believers are no longer under God’s
condemnation (Romans 8:1). But other consequences remain.
Universal consequence. Though we are not
born in sin as a universal consequence of Adam’s sin (as
wrongly and unscripturally taught in some religions) there
may be and are some consequences suffered by all descendants
Adam and Eve. They were expelled from Eden and denied access
to “the tree of life” (Genesis 3:22-24). As a result
of their sin they became mortal – subject tp physical death,
and that mortality has passed on to every human whether or
not they sinned personally (Romans 5:12-14). We are all
children of Adam, genetically what he is. We are not
burdened with “original sin,” but are burdened with any true
consequences of Adam’s original sin. But please note: this
is a natural consequence, and not a spiritual consequence.
Natural consequences of sin. We
live in a world of cause and effect – the law of sowing and
reaping is always in full effect (Galatians 6:7-8). Some of
sin’s consequences are “built-in” and will happen no matter
whether the sinner is saved or unsaved. “Can a man
take fire into his bosom without being burned?” (Proverbs
6:27). If you commit a crime or a sin and get you should
expect to get caught and face the natural consequences that
follow. To avoid the certain or probable hurtful results,
avoid the action that produces them. If you don’t want the
expected fruit, don’t plant the seed that will produce it.
Instructional consequences and
disciplinary consequences. We should learn from both
positive and negative consequences of our attitudes
and actions. As an example of this: We see in 2 Samuel
chapter 12, even after David confessed his sin and was
forgiven God allowed certain consequences to befall him and
his household (verses 11–14). God probably allows some of
sin’s consequences to remain in our lives to remind us and
teach us, and also to warn us about staying in sin or
returning to sins that have hurt us before. Others can learn
from our experiences too. For example, when Ananias and
Sapphira were disciplined (they actually lost their lives)
because of their sin, it was instructive for the church:
“Great fear came upon the whole church and all who heard
about these events” (Acts 5:11). See also 1 Corinthians 5:5
and 1 Timothy 1:20. We are encouraged not to resent
discipline, including necessary and appropriate punishment
for our sins (Hebrews 12:4-11, compare Proverbs 3:11-12). It
is for our own good, to make us fit for fellowship as
partakers of God’s holiness.
God allows us to experience some of the
temporal consequences of sin to show His love for us. Thanks
to God for memory that helps us avoid repeating the mistakes
that would otherwise hurt us again. If God never disciplined
His straying children, He would not be a good Father. If we
were never disciplined or never suffered the consequences
for our wrong action, we would probably never learn right
from wrong. We tend to learn from our mistakes more readily
than we learn from our successes.
Praise the Lord for His goodness. He
allows us to experience the temporal consequences of sin
(for our own good). But He has saved us from the eternal
consequences of sin. Jesus paid the redemption price for our
sins so we will never experience the second death, which is
the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14). Obedient and faithful
believers in Christ are promised that the negative curse and
consequences of sin will be completely removed in heaven
(Revelation 21:3-7), that nothing from the saved person’s
past will be brought against him to affect or afflict him
Hebrews 8:12, 10:17). In and of itself that should be
sufficient to lead one to call upon the Lord for forgiveness
of any and all sins (Romans 10:9-13) while he can and make
his calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10).
- Gerald Cowan, a longtime preacher and missionary, is
retired from full-time pulpit preaching. Gerald publishes an
e-mail newsletter entitled GERALD COWAN’S PERSONAL
PERIODICAL WRITINGS. He is available for Gospel Meetings and
he may be contacted at Geraldcowan1931@aol.com
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