We have a responsibility as human beings to be aware of sin and what it does to us. To ignore it won’t mean it will go away any more than ignoring a note due at the bank will make it go away. Will you give me a minute or two to talk about sin and its consequences? What do we do about sin?

Recognize its nature (what it is). Sin is a crime against God and against our own nature. God never wanted man to sin, nor did He make him do so. Man decided to sin on his own. And each man commits his own sin (Ezek. 18:20). Sin is a monster. It is the predicate on which exists every human misery, the foundation for all evil-doing, the reason for all sickness, pain, and death, the reason for all unhappiness. Sin is transgression of the law, a rebellion against known good (1 Jn. 3-4; Jas. 4:17). It will wreck man, bring him down, make him despicable and unbearable in the sight of God and men. The nature of sin is briefly stated in one word: death.

Recognize its effect (what it does). First of all, and most importantly, sin separates man from his God (Isa. 59:1-2). Actually, sin is separative by its very nature. While it may appear to have some value, it actually has none. While it may offer some momentary pleasure, the end of it is destruction. While it may appear beautiful on the outside, on the inside it is putrid and stagnant and filthy. There is no amount of figuring, no amount of arithmetic that can render it good; it’s just bad, and that’s that. No amount of excusing it can make it acceptable, either. It is not acceptable and it cannot be made such. It separates man from everything that is good, from everything that is holy, from everything that has any real value. And it cannot be made otherwise. It’s horrible what it does to us.

Recognize its rewards (where it leads). First of all, sin has never led men in the right direction. I said in the right direction. It always takes him where he doesn’t need to go, allows him to stay longer than he needs to stay, and causes him to do things that he ought not do. That’s just how sin is; it takes us in the wrong direction. Furthermore, “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). When one invests in it, there is no profit—only loss. You can’t make it pay any profitable thing. Invest in it and it will wreak your family, cost you valuable time, bring bad stuff to your relationships, and, in the end, completely wreck your life. Furthermore, you can’t sow a little sin and reap a little sin—it always produces more than you sowed. But more than that, “the wages of sin is death” Rom. 6:23; eternal death. It will cause you ultimately to lose your soul in hell. And when that time comes there won’t be any turning back, no second chances, only an everlasting hell fire. That’s where sin leads. It’s a long path to a bad end.

Recognize its cure (how we can rid ourselves of it). Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory! While man was steeped in sin, while he languished in his own ungodly filth, God sent forth His son, born of woman, made in the likeness of His fallen creatures, and “made Him to be sin who knew no sin” that He might redeem us from our plight. That Suffering Servant (Isa. 53) became the price of our redemption. He made it possible for us to be rid of our condemnation (Rom. 8:1). He reconciled us, brought us into the presence of God Himself by the death of His Son, Jesus (Rom. 5:1-2). He resurrected us, made us nigh when we had been separated from Him by our sins (Eph. 2:1-5). All this is briefly stated in John 3:16—“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” That same Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” If you would be rid of your sins, you must allow Him free course in your life.

Sin is horrible. Salvation is wonderful. Which will you choose?

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