We can see the outcome of sin by looking in the Bible. Adam and Eve (and we along with them) were condemned to death and put out of the Garden. Cain was sent into the wilderness for the murder of his brother. In Noah's time the whole earth was flooded because of sin. The languages were confused at Babel because of pride. Everyone who has ever lived has died or will die. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. Korah and his families were swallowed by the earth for his sin. Jesus died.
Jesus died!!!
If you want to see the outcome of sin then look at the cross. That is what happens to sinners. Torture, humiliation, exhaustion, death. It is God stepping away from even His own Son, all because of sin. Not His, but ours. But this does show us the outcome of sin. Judgment. And judgment fell...on Christ. A judgment unparalleled by floods, fire, brimstone, earthquakes, or confusion. The flood wasn't catastrophic, the cross was. Sodom and Gomorrah wasn't a disaster, the cross was. Not in the sense of being a failure, but in the sense of the fullness of the wrath of God being revealed at one time. And Christ took that catastrophe, that disaster, that Katrina all at once in the space the size of a man and suffered it all.
Imagine, if you will, a great ball of fury that will wipe out humanity all at once, being hurled towards earth by God. As this ball of fury is bearing down on us a baby is born in Bethlehem. He lives a perfect life. At the moment the ball of wrath is about to hit, this man is crucified, raised up from the earth towards heaven, as sinful men reach the height of their rebellion against God by killing God's own Son, and the ball of wrath hits Him and can go no further. It is absorbed by him. He takes it's full force and allows not one little part of it to spread to any other person. Christ did that.
There is our judgment. There is the day of wrath. And yet this great act is only for those who will leave their sins and follow Christ. There will be no traitors allowed to enter the kingdom. Only servants of God. Only the subjects can enter the kingdom. The rest are left outside and for them another day awaits. A day in which there will be no Savior. A day where they will pay for their rebellion.
There is the the outcome of sin. "...and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." James 1:15
Old Doxoblogy
Friday, December 23, 2005
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4 comments:
YOU ARE SO RIGHT! CHRIST BORE ALL OF GOD'S WRATH IN HIS OWN BODY ON THAT CROSS. THE FATHER TURNED HIS HEAD FROM HIS OWN SON BECAUSE OF OUR SIN.
The message is clear. We must preach "repentance and remission of sins...in His name to all nations"!Luke 24:47
Acts 17:30-31;Acts 20:21;Acts 26:20
Amen!
That word treason and treachery is the word that caused my soul to fall on my knees and confess the Lordship of Christ and cast my burden of sin away on onto him. Amen!
We must full and finally choose what side we are on. We cannot love both sides.
Isaiah 33:1
I fell under such conviction when I read that verse, but then I picked up Pilgrims Progress and discovered that I was still in the Swamp of despondence and had not taken this burden of treachery along the narrow road to the cross. When I did that burden left me just as quickly as it came.
The trouble is I couldn't see the treachery I was commiting for all the biblical wisdom I had. Praise God he opened my eyes. Praise God.
Hi Dox
I read this in Psalm 22 and I can picture the fall angel standing around Jesus at the Cross just yelling at Him.
12 Many bulls have surrounded Me;
Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
13 They gape at Me with their mouths,
Like a raging and roaring lion.
Thank you Dox
You and your Family have a Great Christmas
Thanks for these thoughts. It's easy to forget in the midst of the lights, trees, and music that the incarnation was the beginning of his sorrows, his suffering, his humiliation.
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