When we are tempted to sin, we often cannot see its long-term impacts. In fact, we even convince ourselves that there will be no negative repercussions. The truth is that all sin leads us down a path that we never intended to go down. Sin will lead us toward heartbreak, destruction, and ultimately death. When we understand the negative impacts that our sins have, we can more easily say “no” and turn away from the temptation to sin when it arises.
The younger son in Jesus’ story, which he told in Luke 15, understood the devastating consequences of sin. You see, He had asked his father for his inheritance early, a request that most certainly offended his father (verse 12). Amazingly, the father in this story agreed and gave this son his share of the inheritance (verse 12). Days later, Jesus said, this younger son “packed all of his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living” (verse 13). Soon, he found himself starving (verse 14). With few options, "he persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs" (verse 15). This, my friends, would have been viewed by the people of Israel as "rock bottom." Pigs were viewed as unclean. No Jewish person would ever have associated with pigs. The son in this story had lost everything, and Scripture tells us that he was so hungry that "even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him" (verse 16). He may have thought that taking his inheritance and leaving his father's home would lead to good things, but it only led him on a path toward pain, heartache, and loss.
Sin always leads us down a path of pain and destruction. Romans 6:23 says it this way: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Sin leads to death. There is no other path for sin to take us. It leaves us, much like the younger son in Jesus' parable, at the end of ourselves. Praise God, we have a Savior who came to rescue us and bring life when we turn to Him.
What temptation to sin are you currently facing? Take a moment to think about the negative consequences that could come from saying “yes” to that sin. Let the reminder of the negative consequences that could come from giving in to that temptation give you the boldness to say "no" and turn away from sin.
1Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. 21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
