I have had to take responsibly, have been humbled by the selfishness of what I did and have to live with the consequences every day. – Anthony (January 3, 2011)

Sin wrecks havoc on our lives.

Ultimately, every sin has a consequence. And since we don’t live completely unto ourselves, there’s a ripple effect produced by our sin that cannot be retracted. [Tweet that] Every action has a reaction, and this is true with sin as well.

Even when we do finally receive grace to come before God and receive His mercy and forgiveness, the effects of our sin remain while living in this fallen world.

Now, I’m not saying God doesn’t redeem our sin and ultimately use it for good and for His glory; He does (see Romans 2:28). And when forgiven by God, He remembers our sins no longer. We are washed clean and will not suffer consequence after death. But in this life, we feel the effects of sin.

If we don’t take care of the body we were given, we may be forgiven, but our health may suffer and may never fully recover.

If we choose to divorce our spouse (though I recognize there are Biblical grounds to do so), we may be forgiven, but it will forever impact our life, our children, our family, and our friends.

And in Anthony’s case, who committed murder, he is forgiven, yet he will spend the remainder of his life behind bars. The effect of his actions will remain with him until he takes his last breath here on Earth.

You Reap What You Sow

In Galatians 6:7, Paul said, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”

Take a look at the life of David.

David was a man after God’s own heart, yet he was still an imperfect man who sinned greatly. When he committed adultery and had the woman’s husband murdered in battle, God was not pleased.

Ultimately, David repented and turned back to God, yet God still enacted consequences that David had to face. David’s son, conceived through his adulterous affair, died, and from that point on, David faced tremendous turmoil within his family.

David certainly reaped what he sowed.

Paul goes on to say, “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:8).

Let us sow good seeds throughout our lives, seeds that yield godliness and righteousness. [Tweet that] And when we do sin, let us repent quickly, turning back to the only one who can help us live victoriously in our fallen flesh.

{Though we may be forgiven, consequences remain.}

Question: What are your thoughts? Share in the comments.